Our last blog discussed parental alienation and how April 25th is dedicated to recognizing behaviors that might be negatively impacting the lives of your children. You might be experiencing feelings of pain and loss after your divorce, and it may be tempting to seek revenge by using alienation tactics, the consequences can hurt everyone in the family.
Here are some strategies that you might want to consider to dismiss the urge to alienate and begin healing your relationships with your family:
- Do your best to maintain regular contact with your children.
- Try to remember that your children are innocent. They do not understand the complexities of your relationship with your co-parent, nor should they be expected to.
- Try not to take your frustrations out on your children by losing your temper, being aggressive, or by criticizing them.
- Do not reject your children in retaliation for them not being alienated from your co-parent.
- Set up a schedule with your co-parents and stick to it. Some parents get into the habit of letting children dictate when they go to each parent’s house, but this can cause problems.
- Don’t waste your precious time with your children by discussing adult dilemmas. Instead, create situations where they can have fun and speak for themselves.
- Do your best not to dismiss your children’s feelings or counter what they say. As hard as it may be, do your best to be a good listener.
- Do not bad mouth your ex in front of your children.
Parental alienation behaviors cannot be altered overnight, but there are steps that can be taken to adjust the current situation. Making these improvements can help you to move in a positive direction on behalf of your children, and lay the foundation for a positive family relationship.
By taking the necessary steps toward a great parent-child relationship, you are ensuring happiness for your children for years to come. Attorney Crystal Lambert-Schroeder is extremely dedicated to the needs of your family. She wants to ensure a positive outcome for everyone involved in your divorce in Vancouver WA. Click here to contact her today.