Not every divorce process is contentious. Both parties can often remain amicable and move on with visions of brighter futures ahead. That said, plenty more couples will never see eye to eye and face a rockier road to recovery, and their relationships are marked by intense conflict. When children are part of that mix, one parent may resort to horrible tactics that can potentially ruin their child’s relationship with the other parent. When such actions are deliberate and severe, this is commonly called malicious parent syndrome.
The gold standard in any child custody matter is to rule on what is in the child’s best interest. This should prevent malicious parent syndrome from creeping into the divorce, although that is not always true.
What Is Malicious Parent Syndrome
In simple terms, malicious parent syndrome describes a pattern of harmful behavior by one parent during or after a divorce, where the goal is to punish the other parent, hurt them emotionally, damage their reputation with the children, and endanger their future relationship with their children. The term highlights extreme forms of parental alienation that can have serious emotional and psychological consequences for both the targeted parent and the child.
Here are several ways this syndrome manifests itself:
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Making negative remarks about the other parent
Divorce can be a frustrating process, and sometimes, that frustration takes the form of making derogatory statements to a child about their other parent.
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Sabotaging custody arrangements
hared custody is a typical outcome of divorce, but one or both parents may be bitter about the agreed arrangement. Malicious parent syndrome can drive one parent to intentionally miss hand-off arrangements or give the wrong times, making the other parent look like they missed their obligation.
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Creating negative stories about the other parent
When frustration or maliciousness gets the better of a parent, they may develop untrue tales about the other parent and share them with the child.
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Harm the child
While it may be hard to believe, malicious parent syndrome can drive one parent to harm the child and then blame the other parent in hopes of getting them in trouble with the law or damaging their reputation.
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Expecting the child to take sides
Divorced parents often want to be “the favorite” and will expect the child to choose a side. This can pit children against their parents and destroy the future family dynamic.
The goal is to preserve the relationship between the child and both parents at any cost through an extremely difficult legal battle without placing the child in the middle of malicious behavior and in a position of having to confirm or deny allegations against either parent. Some cases require aggressive advocacy, where we must deliver the righteous blow of justice, while others require patience, de-escalation, and diplomatic solutions.
When children are involved, we help the client develop and execute the best strategies to avoid leaving a wake of destruction, the brunt of which falls mainly on the innocent and impressionable children of divorce.
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Please consult an attorney for advice about your situation. The material on this website and in this or any blog article we publish are for informational purposes only. They do not constitute legal advice. The attorneys at Christman | Daniell believe in tailoring legal advice and solutions to your circumstances.
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