Non-Custodial Parent Trash Talking Custodial Parent to Child

[mom2four]

How do you handle a situation where the non-custodial parent is telling a teenager things about the custodial parent that he should not be saying? Is there a legal boundary as to what non-custodial parents can say to children about the custodial parent or is it simply reliant on common sense?

My ex-husband is giving our near-16 year old daughter half-truths about me and she is quite upset and confused. He's got her so convinced that I'm a horrible person by not telling her the whole truth and therefore, she is extremely upset. Isn't there some way I can stop him from treating her this way? I don't care what he wants to say to me or about me to people - that's his problem - but it can't be right or legal for him to defame me to our children.

We're in Ohio.

[Mr. Knowitall]

If you can't work it out through the other parent, you can try to get the court with jurisdiction over your custody case to review the dispute. But courts tend not to be very good with this type of situation. You should discuss the specifics with a local family lawyer to see what they recommend.

[mom2four]

Thank you for your reply. I will see if there is more of it or if he seems to be done. Why don't people understand how much these things hurt kids of all ages?