Children – specifically, minors younger than 18 – don’t have the same rights as adults, so they can’t refuse to cooperate with a visitation agreement. Rarely is everyone satisfied with the outcome of a child custody order, especially the children subject to one. Although a child may not wish to comply with a visitation agreement, it’s important for both parents to work together to solve this problem.
Why Do Children Refuse Visitation?
There can be many reasons why a child might refuse visitation. Refusal can often occur when visitation is relatively new, especially for a younger child who doesn’t fully grasp the concept of divorce or separation. Even an older child might be reluctant to split time between their parents due to a misunderstanding of the implications of a visitation agreement.
Refusal can also occur when a child harbors resentment about their parents’ divorce. Children may direct resentment at the custodial parent, the parent with visitation, or even both. Resentment can subside over time, but it may take a lot of effort from both parents to reassure their child that the time-sharing agreement can be a positive thing in their life.
Lastly, children can refuse visitation when they are subjected to parental alienation. This is a situation in which one parent attempts to undermine the child’s relationship with their other parent. Parental alienation can happen as a result of telling a child lies or unnecessary truths with the intent to damage the child’s relationship with the other parent. When parental alienation is alleged, it could result in a modification of the custody agreement.
Contact an Attorney for Legal Assistance
If your child is refusing visitation, an attorney can guide you through what you should do to protect your rights as a parent in a time-sharing agreement. You may need to rely on your co-parenting plan before taking any kind of legal action, but if the issue can’t be resolved this way, your attorney can guide you through the next necessary steps.
Learn more by contacting Beatriz Zyne, P.A. online today.
