During a divorce, families with children also have to create child custody arrangements. The two parties have to decide if one will have primary custody or if they will share joint custody. Regardless of which child custody arrangement they choose, it is crucial that the parents continue to work together and do not alienate the other parent. Georgia couples that are divorcing have resources available that can ease the transition for their children.
Children whose parents are divorcing generally experience a great deal of stress as the home that they have known changes. If one parent continually demeans the other, this attitude can affect the children. This can lead to parental alienation, which occurs when a child allies himself with one parent and acts out against the other. In spite of the bitterness and other feelings one parent may be experiencing towards the other, not allowing these emotions to dictate one’s actions can inspire the children to do the same.
This behavior evidences itself in many families that go through the divorce process. However, parent alienation can be avoided by choosing a child custody arrangement that is in the best interest of the children and by keeping negative emotions at bay. Whether there is one primary custodian or it is a shared custody agreement, children perform better academically and emotionally when both parents play an active role in their lives. Neither parent should be made to feel inadequate or unloved in the eyes of his or her child.
Parental cooperation following a divorce is important for the children and the parents. How the two parents treat each other plays an important role in how easy the transition will be for the children. Families working through child custody in Georgia can find assistance from those with experience handling this type of arrangement. Those who feel they are being alienated can receive support from therapists and coaches who are trained in how to respond to such negativity.
Source: The Huffington Post, “Lost Parents: When High Conflict Divorce Leads to Parental Alienation“, Traci L. Slatton, May 26, 2015