When your co-parent won't admit your child needs help

Shared by Curated by CoreParent

You see it clearly. Your child is struggling with their mental health, behavior, a learning difference, or a medical issue. But your co-parent waves it off as a phase, 'kids being kids,' or your imagination, and refuses to pursue an evaluation or treatment.

What I tried

Arguing the point, sending articles, or diagnosing it yourself in messages, which usually hardens their denial and turns your child's needs into a fight about who's right.

What worked

What tends to work: get out of the debate and let a neutral professional carry the concern. Take your child to the pediatrician or a counselor for an evaluation (many decisions a parent can pursue during their own parenting time), and let the provider be the one raising it instead of you. Bring specific, dated observations, not labels. A resistant co-parent will often accept 'the doctor recommended…' far sooner than 'you're wrong.' Keep the focus on the child, not on winning. If it's a safety or serious-neglect situation, that's a different track, so see the Plays on documenting and choosing legal battles.

#child-health #mental-health #resistant-co-parent #evaluation

Shared by real parents (or curated by CoreParent), anonymized, and not legal advice. Every situation is different. For your case, talk to a licensed family-law attorney.