Parental alienation is the process of manipulating a child to distance them from their other parent. Alienation is often used to lay the foundation for a child custody modification that limits or even completely eliminates the other parent’s contact with the child. While some aspects of parental alienation are easy to spot, others are more challenging to detect. One that you’ll want to be on the lookout for is abuse of parental gatekeeping.
Gatekeeping as a parental alienation tactic
As a parent, you have the ability and the duty to protect your child from harmful information and outside forces. Their other parent has the same obligation. Yet, this gatekeeping function can be abused, causing harm to your child and your relationship with them. For example, your child’s other parent might use their gatekeeping function to prevent you from having phone contact with your child and to cut you off from receiving information about their schooling, extracurricular activities and even their healthcare. They can also refuse to pass on messages to your child.
How to address negative parental gatekeeping
You can’t let harmful use of parental gatekeeping go unchecked. Instead, be sure to document any violations of your existing custody agreement, and detail how the other parent’s actions are contrary to your child’s best interests. Regardless of how tense the situation may become, do your best to promote positive co-parenting. It might also be beneficial to seek a mental health assessment for your child so that it’s easier to clearly articulate the harm being caused by abusive parental gatekeeping.
Take action now to protect your child from parental alienation
Parental alienation can have tragic ramifications for your child. Don’t let the other parent get away with this harmful behavior. Act now to protect your child best interests, even if that means getting the matter in front of a judge sooner rather than later.
