What is parental interference and how can it harm you?

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As you deal with a divorce and a new child custody arrangement, you may notice your ex-spouse acting differently than normal.

When it comes to disagreements and tension between co-parents, parental alienation often happens slowly and builds over time.

Signs of a problem

According to the Penal Code of Texas, restricting visiting time or not allowing your child to see his or her other parent are ways to directly interfere with a child custody agreement. Some parents may even move across states without any prior warning. If your ex-spouse continues to impede your time with your child, then he or she may be trying to purposefully separate the two of you.

Many cases of interference stem from a parent trying to punish the other parent by using the child as a bargaining chip. If your ex-spouse is trying to avoid co-parenting or lies about potential abuse, then he or she may be trying to forcibly control how often you see your child.

Harmful actions

A parent may also try to turn the child against the other parent by sharing negative things about him or her in front of their child, which can lead to tension or anger. Common tactics include trying to hide notices for school events in order to make you look like a bad parent, or lying about you in front of your child.

This may encourage your child to feel bitter towards you or even try to avoid seeing you because of what his or her other parent said. Alienation is against the law, and can majorly impact the relationship between you and your child.

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