One unfortunate side effect of getting a divorce is parental alienation syndrome. This is the name for a situation in which one parent attempts to turn a child against the other. There are a number of indicators of parental alienation syndrome that Texas residents should understand.
For example, one parent could be shut out of parent/teacher meetings and removed from contact lists. A child who was never oppositional in the past might develop resistant tendencies and start to ask the parent not to attend certain events. The child could cease to acknowledge positive bonding and may attack the parent in language that sounds like that of the ex who is causing the parental alienation.
A parent who is divorcing someone with signs of personality disorders might want to be vigilant for signs of parental alienation disorder. This conduct can occur regardless of the custody and visitation arrangements, and it may begin subtly. For example, a parent might suggest extending a visit because the child is sick or has homework to do.
A parent who is concerned about parental alienation might want to discuss the situation with the attorney. However, it is also important for parents to be flexible with these sorts of arrangements after a divorce. Not all request to shift a custody schedule are indications of parental alienation syndrome. Parents may want to address some of these potential issues in the parenting agreement. This is an agreement that can address issues ranging from how parents will handle schedule changes or a child’s illness to who is responsible for getting the child to extracurricular activities.