Children’s Rights in the Aftermath of a Divorce

While parents are fighting over child custody, they often forget the impact this has on their child. 8-year-old Victoria Peters was one such child caught in the middle of a fierce and harmful battle between her parents. Her mother, who had custody of Victoria, spent years trying to turn Victoria against her father. Her mother would come up with last minute excuses to cancel scheduled visits between Victoria and her father. She would make Victoria go in the closet when talking to him on the phone.

Victoria’s father eventually subpoenaed notes from the therapist that the girl had been attending with her mother since she was 3-years-old. The notes detailed how her mother told her of a mean side of her father that Victoria had never seen before. Victoria agreed that she had never seen that mean side but believed her mother.

Eventually the court granted full custody to Victoria’s father as the evidence mounted as to what her mother was doing to her. The court disapproved of her mother's alienating behavior and the affect that it was having on Victoria. If you have been involved in a child custody dispute and suspect that your ex-spouse or partner is turning your child against you, a Houston family lawyer can advise you of your rights.

Effects of a Divorce on Children and Children’s Rights

Psychologists have studied the effects that a divorce has on children. Many children of divorce feel as if their parents abandoned them and they bring these problems into school, becoming more dependent, demanding, and disobedient. Children of divorced parents are twice as likely to repeat a grade and five times more likely to have a school expel or suspend them than children of non-divorced parents. They are also more likely to abuse drugs or get pregnant during high school.

When parents are in the midst of divorce and child custody proceedings, they need to pay special attention to how all of this is affecting their child. The effects of a divorce on children are strong and can result in severe consequences. Many authors and psychologists have put forth a children’s bill of rights. Below are some additional examples of those rights. Parents would be wise to keep these in mind to ensure that a child manages a divorce as painlessly as possible.

• Parents should not use their child as a messenger. They should communicate directly with each other
• Parents should not cross-examine their child as to what he or she did on the other parent’s time.
• Parents should not purposefully forget things or miss times when scheduling activities with the other parent.
• Parents should not bad mouth the other parent in front of the child. They should not instill negative feelings in the child towards his or her other parent.
• Parents should emphasize to the child that he or she has two homes and that it is ok to love each parent equally.

Contact a Houston divorce attorney at John K. Grubb & Associates, PC if you and your child are having difficulties with an ex-spouse in the aftermath of a divorce.