Child custody is one of the most contentious matters couples fight about in a divorce case. However, things become worse when a parent engages in parental alienation to win a custody battle. The children may suffer irreparable harm.
If you’re struggling with parental alienation in Fairfax, VA, we may be able to assist. Our top-rated family lawyers will work with you to protect your child from the harmful consequences of parental alienation.
Since 2014, we’ve helped families find solutions to child custody matters that benefit everyone. As a result of our dedication and successful track record of negotiating fair child custody agreements, we have earned top ratings from our clients on Justia, Avvo, and Google Business Reviews.
You don’t need to deal with this situation alone. We’re here to help you and your children. Contact The Law Office of Afsana Chowdhury, PLC at (703) 271-6519 to schedule an initial consultation with an experienced Fairfax parental alienation lawyer.
How Our Fairfax Family Lawyers Can Help If Your Ex-Partner is Engaging in Parental Alienation Tactics
If you have been accused of or you are the victim of parental alienation, your parental rights are on the line. Your child’s emotional well-being could be in jeopardy. You need an experienced Fairfax parental alienation attorney who can help you protect your rights while protecting your child’s mental, emotional, and psychological well-being.
At The Law Office of Afsana Chowdhury, PLC, our Fairfax child custody lawyers know that some parents use their children as pawns and weapons in a court battle. Alienating a child from the other parent can work in favor of the parent creating the divide, but at what cost? Parental alienation can be extremely harmful to a child.
We’re passionate about protecting children during a family court case. We utilize our considerable resources and skills to find the best possible solution to prevent further damage and harm to the child.
When you hire our top-rated child custody attorneys in Fairfax, VA, you can trust that we’ll do everything within our power to bring about a positive resolution, including:
- Working with you to gather evidence of parental alienation
- Consulting leading child psychologists, therapists, medical specialists, and other expert witnesses as necessary
- Developing an agreeable, fair settlement proposal and then negotiating with the other party to reach an agreement that protects you and your child
- Obtaining records and documents that prove your allegations of parental alienation
- Working to help you maintain a close bond between you and your children by seeking court-ordered temporary visitation with your children
- Using mediation to resolve the dispute privately, efficiently, and quickly
Call The Law Office of Afsana Chowdhury, PLC today to schedule an initial consultation with a skilled parental alienation lawyer in Fairfax, Virginia.
What Is Parental Alienation?
Parental alienation is the use of deception and manipulation to intentionally cause a rift between a child and their parent. It is a consistent campaign to destroy the parent-child relationship with that parent.
The parent engaged in the conduct works to turn their child against the other parent. Someone may use numerous tactics and means to target the other parent.
Unfortunately, the child is unaware that they are being manipulated and used. They trust their parents, so they’re easy to brainwash. The goal of parental alienation is for the child to no longer want the other parent involved in their life, so they sever the relationship with that parent and blame that parent for what has happened.
Examples of Parental Alienation Tactics in Fairfax, VA
Parental alienation can be very subtle and difficult to detect. A parent may spend months grooming a child slowly to drive the final wedge between the child and the other parent.
Examples of parental alienation we see in some child custody cases include:
- Refusing to be flexible with visitation, including making it extremely difficult for the other parent to exercise visitation
- Allowing a child to choose whether to visit their other parent even though the judge ordered visitation
- Asking a child to choose one parent over the other parent
- Sharing details about the divorce and custody case with a child
- Scheduling activities that a child enjoys during the visitation time with the other parent so the child does not want to visit their other parent or feels angry if they are forced to do visitation instead of the activity
- Using a child to spy on another parent
- Blaming the other parent for causing the breakup of the family, financial problems, an undesirable relocation, or engaging in a new relationship with someone
- Falsely accusing a parent of abusing or neglecting a child, subjecting the parent and child to an unnecessary child services investigation
- Denying a parent access to the child’s medical and school records so they miss necessary appointments and dates
- Blaming the other parent’s friends and family members for causing the breakup of the marriage
- Making a child feel guilty for having a good time with their other parent or having affection for their other parent
- Monitoring a child’s communications with the other parent
- Encouraging the child to be angry with the other parent for perceived slights or false allegations
- Lying to a child about the other parent
- Constantly making negative and disparaging remarks about the other parent
- Intercepting messages from the other parent to a child so the child believes the parent does not care about them
- Telling a child that their other parent does not love them as much as their new family and/or does not want the child
A parent can destroy a child’s relationship with their other parent in many ways. A parent may enlist help from their friends and family to assist them in convincing a child that their other parent doesn’t love them or is a bad person. People are creative in finding new alienating tactics to cause their child to hate their other parent.
How Can You Tell That Your Child’s Parent is Guilty of Parental Alienation?
Some parents are very skilled in hiding the alienation tactics they use. They are masters of manipulation. Therefore, it could be challenging to know whether your child’s other parent is engaging in parental alienation.
However, your child might display signs that indicate their other parent is trying to destroy your relationship with your child.
Signs of parental alienation to watch for include:
- Your child doesn’t trust you or believe you when you tell them something
- Your child expresses hatred toward you
- A child defends the alienating parent’s conduct
- Your child repeats (“parrots”) the negative comments or behaviors of the alienating parent
- A child does not feel remorse for hating you
- Your child is an unwavering advocate for the alienating parent
- A child makes false allegations of abuse and neglect
- Your child has unrealistic beliefs about you that they could not have developed without coaching
Children who are victims of parental alienation may develop mental health and emotional issues. For that reason, some medical professionals describe parental alienation as child abuse.
Examples of the negative impacts of parental alienation on a child include:
- Self-hatred
- Depression
- Decrease in school performance and/or grades
- Self-destructive behavior
- Lack of interest in favorite games, sports, or other activities
- Engaging in unhealthy relationships
- Lack of trust
Understanding how to deal with parental alienation is the first step in protecting your child and stopping parental alienation before it causes your child more harm and damage. Knowing what to do can help you gather the evidence you need to prove parental alienation.
What Should You Do if You Suspect Parental Alienation in Fairfax, VA?
Stay calm and focus on what you need to do to help your child. Keep your emotions under control. It’s easy to allow your anger and hurt to rule your decisions.
Contact a Fairfax family law attorney instead of seeking revenge or getting angry. A lawyer can provide logical, tempered advice and direction since they aren’t emotionally involved in the situation.
An attorney can also help you gather evidence proving parental alienation. If you make an allegation of parental alienation, you need to ensure you have sufficient evidence to prove your claim in court.
Your attorney might suggest that you consider professional counseling and therapy for you and your child. A professional can help you and your child deal with the damage that has occurred. Furthermore, a therapist may become a witness to testify about the signs of parental alienation they witnessed and your efforts to maintain a healthy relationship with your child.
Don’t give up! Contact a Fairfax child custody attorney to discuss your legal options. The courts make child custody decisions based on a child’s best interest. Therefore, if you have proof of parental alienation, a judge may view the alienating parent’s conduct as harmful to the child, thereby making them unfit to have custody.
A judge may require the parents and children to attend mandatory counseling and therapy. The sessions could be individual, family, or a mixture of sessions. In some cases, the court may require parents to attend co-parenting classes.
Schedule a Consultation With Our Fairfax Parental Alienation Lawyers
The sooner you work to put a stop to parental alienation, the better for your child. If you suspect your child’s other parent is engaging in harmful activity to turn your child against you, contact our Fairfax parental alienation attorneys at The Law Office of Afsana Chowdhury, PLC for a confidential consultation.
Visit Our Family Law Office In Fairfax, VA
Law Office of Afsana Chowdhury, PLC
10805 Main St STE 700A,
Fairfax, VA 22030
Phone: (703) 271-6519
Business Hours:
Monday: 9:00 AM- 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 9:00 AM- 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 9:00 AM- 5:00 PM
Thursday: 9:00 AM- 5:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM- 5:00 PM
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed
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