Child custody is something that is not always easy for a judge to decide. When presented with a case, they can use a variety of information to help them determine which parent is the better fit. Even then, that may not be enough because they can still make mistakes, leaving one parent with little to no time with the child even though they are very much equipped to care for the child properly.
Parental alienation, which is when a child is brainwashed and turned against one of their parents by the other, is an issue that has recently been discussed in the news. This is because many children have made claims of abuse that have turned out to be false and nothing more than a case of parent alienation. Now that there is an awareness of parental alienation, when a child makes a claim of abuse about one of their parents, this can create difficulty for judges because they have to decide who is telling the truth and if a parent should be awarded child custody or not.
This is not an easy decision for judges to make because it could lead to them making the wrong ruling and the child will not get to see a parent who is loving, caring and innocent. Depending on a child’s age, they may be able to tell the truth about their other parent, if they have, in fact, been abusive, and make a decision on their own without the other parent influencing them. Either way, the child will be the one to suffer.
It is never okay for parents to brainwash their children and convince them that their other parent doesn’t love or care about them. Unfortunately, this happens all too often, and as a result, both the child and parent are left hurt. Anyone who is currently disputing with their child’s other parent over child custody will want to contact an attorney, as they may be able to help resolve the disagreement.
Source: WBT, “Are Some Divorcing Parents Brainwashing Their Children?,” April 8, 2016