You and your ex-spouse obviously had some valid reasons for ending your marriage. Still, because two parents tend to provide optimal outcomes for children, you chose to enter into a co-parenting arrangement. If your ex-spouse is not complying with the terms of your custody agreement, though, you may have grounds to pursue a modification.
Parental alienation is a type of psychological child abuse that occurs when one parent takes active steps to turn the children against the other parent. If you have documented evidence to show a pattern of alienating behaviors, you need to act quickly to protect the good relationship you have with your kids.
Examples of parental alienation
Parental alienation comes in many different forms, so you may experience it differently than other parents. Nevertheless, if one or more of the following happens frequently, you may be the victim of intentional or inadvertent parental alienation:
- Failing to include you in normal parent-child activities, like academic conferences
- Telling your kids you are a bad person or are mentally unstable
- Prohibiting your children from talking to you
- Giving your kids false or damaging information about you
- Asking your children to take sides in parental disputes
Grounds for custody modifications
Judges in Texas must consider the best interests of the children when making initial custody orders and also modifications. Because parental alienation is downright bad for kids, a judge may decide a modification is necessary to ensure your children remain psychologically and emotionally healthy.
Ultimately, because parental alienation is also bad for you, you do not want to stand idly by while your ex-spouse sabotages you.
