When a child resists or refuses contact with a parent following a divorce, the cause could be difficult to determine. If the child is refusing contact because of parental alienation, this is a very serious issue that can potentially result in a change to custody (the allocation of parental responsibilities). This is because an alienating parent is perpetrating a type of psychological abuse on the child when deliberately convincing the child that his or her other parent is “bad” or is wholly responsible for the divorce.
If parental alienation is not the reason the child is resisting or refusing contact with a parent, then the reason must be determined. The age of the child and the reason for the refusal will have some bearing on whether a judge will force the child to engage in parenting time. If you are experiencing a similar situation, speaking to a knowledgeable Wheaton, IL family law attorney can be extremely helpful.