What Is Divorced Dad Syndrome? How Does It Impact Child Custody?

What Is Divorced Dad Syndrome? How Does It Impact Child Custody?

Divorced Dad Syndrome, also referred to as Guilty Dad (or Father) Syndrome, is a behavioral pattern that arises in some men after the divorce. They get engulfed by feelings of guilt because the family has broken apart perhaps due to their wrongful actions. In particular, they may be disturbed by the psychological wounds suffered by the children due to the divorce.

So, they would try their best to do things to make up for their failure by parenting their children based on their guilt pangs, kind of offloading some of their guilt, instead of parenting in the child’s best interests. To illustrate, here are a few examples:

Examples Of Divorced Dad Syndrome Behavior

  1. A divorced dad may be extra lenient towards the children. He may not discipline them for bad behavior and even allow children-related problems to fester. For example, if the child does not do homework, the divorced dad may merely keep repeatedly telling the child to finish homework instead of following up or disciplining him/her.
  2. A divorced/guilty dad may tell his children to take it easy when they are around him and not do any tasks which they ought to – thereby promoting laxity, and casual and irresponsible behavior.
  3. Such a dad may spoil the children by buying just about anything they demand – just because he feels guilty about the divorce or maybe to compete with the mother.
  4. He may give in to the child’s demands or even decisions related to the family, even if they seem unreasonable.
  5. If the dad is busy, he may gift the children stuff to get them off his back, spoiling them silly in the process.

Divorced Dad Syndrome And Child Custody

If the divorced dad begins spoiling the children to the extent that they become disobedient or rebellious towards the mom, or if the children start becoming irresponsible or reckless, then the mom may file a petition with the courts to modify the custodial arrangement in her favor. If the mom can prove to the courts that the father’s parenting is not in the child’s best interests, then the courts may modify the child custody arrangement and reduce or even eliminate the father’s parenting time. In the worst case, the courts may allow the father only some visitation rights, which may be supervised.

Therefore, men who are experiencing the Divorced Dad Syndrome should consider visiting a therapist and try to create a more peaceful environment for themselves.

Published On: September 12th, 2022Categories: Child CustodyComments Off on What Is Divorced Dad Syndrome? How Does It Impact Child Custody?
Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!
About the Author: Marco Brown
6d8a23cf114c43e68fc064216eff550b?s=72&d=mm&r=g
Marco C. Brown was named Utah’s Outstanding Family Law Lawyer of the Year in 2015. He graduated with distinction from the University of Nebraska College of Law in 2007 and is currently the managing partner of Brown Family Law, LLC.
Contact Us – We Are Here to Help You

Schedule a time to talk with us – we are here to help you. When you meet with your attorney, we will go over your entire case, your children, your money and everything else that’s important to you. Our goal is to remove the fear associated with divorce by protecting your money and maximizing your time with your kids, all within 3-6 months. We look forward to meeting with you!

Call us 24/7 at 801-685-9999 to Speak with a Live Representative
Get A Legal Consultation With An Experienced Utah Attorney
Your privacy is 100% guaranteed, your information will never be sold or shared.

While this website provides general information, it does not constitute divorce advice. The best way to get guidance on your specific divorce issue is to contact a lawyer. To schedule a divorce consultation with an attorney, please call or complete the intake form above.

The use of the Internet (or this form) for communication with the firm (or any individual member of the firm) does not establish an attorney-client relationship. Confidential or time-sensitive information should not be sent through this form.