Parental Alienation and Denying Time-Sharing: The Emotional and Legal Damage It Causes

When a relationship ends, parents often struggle with Parental Alienation and Denying Time-Sharing, creating anger, resentment, or heartbreak. But one thing must never change, your child’s right to have both parents involved in their life. Unfortunately, many parents in family law disputes allow their emotions to take over and begin alienating the other parent or denying court-ordered time-sharing.

These actions may seem like a way to “get even” or “protect” the child, but in reality, they cause deep emotional harm, and can lead to serious legal consequences.

What Is Parental Alienation?

Parental alienation occurs when one parent intentionally or subtly manipulates a child to fear, reject, or resent the other parent. This can happen through negative comments, exaggerated accusations, or simply refusing to allow contact.

When a parent denies or obstructs time-sharing, the alienation becomes even more direct. This includes:

Ignoring or violating a court-ordered parenting plan;
Making false excuses to cancel visitation (“Your father didn’t call,” or “Your mom is too busy”);
Scheduling conflicting activities during the other parent’s time;
Refusing phone or video contact;
Discouraging the child from enjoying their time with the other parent.

These actions don’t just violate a court order, they damage the child’s relationship with both parents and can create long-term psychological scars.

The Child Pays the Price

Children are half their mother and half their father. When you teach them to hate, distrust, or fear the other parent, you are teaching them to hate part of themselves.

The harm runs deep:

Emotional Confusion and Anxiety: The child feels torn between loyalty and love for both parents, often leading to guilt, sadness, or anxiety.
Identity Conflict: Alienated children may question their own worth or identity, believing that part of them is “bad.”
Behavioral and Academic Issues: These children often act out in school, withdraw from friends, or struggle with concentration.
Long-Term Relationship Damage: As teenagers or adults, they may turn on the alienating parent after realizing the truth.
Cycle of Dysfunction: Alienated children often repeat the same unhealthy emotional patterns in their own relationships later in life.

Denying Time-Sharing: A Legal and Emotional Double Blow

In Florida, time-sharing is not a suggestion, it’s a legal right and obligation governed by Florida Statute §61.13. The law emphasizes that every child should have “frequent and continuing contact with both parents” and that each parent must “encourage a close and continuing relationship” with the other.

When a parent willfully denies time-sharing, they are not just violating a court order, they are violating their child’s right to love and be loved by both parents.

Florida courts take this seriously. A parent who intentionally denies or interferes with time-sharing may face:

Contempt of court for violating the parenting plan;
Make-up time-sharing awarded to the other parent;
Attorney’s fees and costs for enforcement actions;
Modification of custody or time-sharing, transferring primary custody to the alienated parent;
In egregious cases, even supervised visitation for the offending parent.

Judges in family court understand that a parent who refuses to co-parent harms not only the other parent, but the child most of all.

Why Parental Alienation Boomerangs

Many parents who alienate the other parent believe they’re “winning.” But in time, this strategy backfires.

When the child grows older and begins to see through the manipulation, the emotional backlash can be devastating. The child may feel betrayed, resentful, and detached from the parent who caused the alienation. I’ve seen cases where children later cut off contact with the alienating parent, feeling they were robbed of years of love and bonding with the other parent.

The parent who caused the damage ends up alone, not victorious.

A Message to Parents: Put the Child First

Family law isn’t just about rights, it’s about responsibilities. As parents, your most sacred duty is to protect your child’s emotional health.

Even if your ex is difficult, even if you’re angry or hurt, your child still deserves love from both sides. They didn’t ask for this separation. They shouldn’t have to carry the burden of your conflict.

Let your child have the freedom to love both parents. Support their relationship with the other parent. Don’t let bitterness dictate your parenting decisions.

When you protect your child’s relationship with both parents, you’re building a foundation for lifelong emotional stability and resilience.

Final Thoughts

If your co-parent is denying you time-sharing or manipulating your child against you, you don’t have to suffer in silence. The longer you wait, the more difficult it becomes to repair the damage — both legally and emotionally.

I’m Gabriel J. Carrera, known as The Attorney That Rides, and I fight for parents who want to do right by their children. I’ve represented countless families across South Florida in cases involving parental alienation, time-sharing violations, and custody modifications.

Call me today at (954) 533-7593 or visit AttorneyThatRides.com to schedule a confidential consultation.

Because when parents fight fair and put their children first, everybody wins… especially the child.