Divorce or separation can lead to intense feelings. Occasionally, parents misdirect their anger or sorrow and try to turn their children against the other parent.
Doing so can be extremely damaging to children, and courts in Ontario prioritize children’s safety and emotional security above all else. Therefore, the impact of child alienation on parenting time in Toronto can be significant. Contact an experienced parenting time lawyer for help immediately if you believe child alienation is occurring.
Child alienation occurs when one parent attempts to undermine the child’s relationship with the other parent. A parent might try to alienate the child by disclosing information about the reason for the breakup that is inappropriate for the child to hear, or even making false accusations against the other parent. They might try to make the child feel guilty about their affection for the other parent.
In extreme cases, the parent might try to prevent the child from spending time with their other parent or otherwise disrupt or interfere with parenting time. If child alienation is impacting your parenting time, it is wise to contact a Toronto lawyer immediately.
Children experience a great deal of stress when their parents separate, even under the best of circumstances. Children who are subject to alienating conduct are likely to experience disorientation or confusion, and may act out in uncharacteristic ways.
It is critical for the parent who is the target of the alienating behavior to maintain a loving attitude even in the face of the child’s hostility. Try to keep parenting time as lighthearted and fun as possible, and do not respond to triggers. Investigate counseling for yourself and the child to address parental alienation syndrome.
Interfering in an intact relationship between a parent and child is contrary to the child’s best interests, and a court may adjust parenting time and decision-making responsibility accordingly. Seek help from a Toronto lawyer to initiate court proceedings if this is the case.
Judges in Ontario prioritize the well-being of children in their decisions, and a healthy relationship between the child and both parents is considered essential to the child’s emotional health. In fact, Ontario’s Children’s Law Reform Act S. 24(3) lists an ability to support the child’s relationship with the other parent as one of the factors judges should consider when determining a child’s best interests.
Judges have broad discretion to respond to a parent’s alienating behaviour. They may reduce the parent’s time with the children, require supervised parenting time, and deprive the alienating parent of decision-making responsibility. In one famous case, a judge reduced an alienating parent’s spousal support to one dollar monthly. There have been recent cases in which courts deprived the alienating parent of any contact with the child temporarily to allow the other parent and the child time to repair their relationship.
An experienced lawyer in Toronto will consult with you to determine the response to the alienating conduct that will lead to the best outcome for your family. They will then work to compile the strongest possible case to help you achieve your goal.
Interference in a child’s relationship with one of their parents is a form of child abuse that can have a lifelong impact. If you suspect your co-parent of alienating conduct, take immediate action.
Speak with one of the lawyers at The Riley Divorce and Family Law Firm about the impact of child alienation on parenting time in Toronto. We are available 24/7, so reach out now to get started.
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