Legal Definitions - ignoring

In family law, ignoring refers to a consistent pattern where a parent or caregiver fails to provide a child with the necessary intellectual or emotional engagement and support. This persistent unavailability prevents the child from developing emotionally and intellectually in a healthy way.

Here are some examples illustrating this concept:

• Example 1: Emotional Unavailability
  A young child frequently seeks comfort or attention from their parent after a minor fall or a bad dream, but the parent consistently dismisses their feelings, tells them to "be quiet," or remains engrossed in their own activities without offering reassurance or comfort. This behavior occurs repeatedly over time, creating a pattern.

  Explanation: This illustrates ignoring because the parent demonstrates a pattern of emotional unavailability, depriving the child of essential emotional stimulation and support. This consistent lack of responsiveness can stifle the child's emotional growth and their ability to regulate feelings, as their needs for comfort and validation are repeatedly unmet.

• Example 2: Intellectual Deprivation
  A toddler is curious about their surroundings, pointing at objects and making sounds to ask "what's that?" However, their caregiver consistently responds with silence, grunts, or by changing the subject, never engaging in naming objects, reading simple books, or answering the child's basic questions about the world, even when opportunities arise.

  Explanation: This demonstrates ignoring through a pattern of intellectual deprivation. The caregiver's consistent unavailability and lack of engagement prevent the child from receiving crucial intellectual stimulation necessary for language development, cognitive growth, and learning about their environment.

• Example 3: General Lack of Engagement
  A school-aged child frequently attempts to share details about their day, show off a drawing, or discuss a school project with their parent. However, the parent consistently provides only distracted, non-committal responses like "uh-huh" or "that's nice" without looking up from their phone or other personal tasks, never asking follow-up questions or showing genuine interest over an extended period.

  Explanation: This scenario exemplifies ignoring as it shows a pattern of general unavailability that stifles both emotional and intellectual development. The child is deprived of the emotional validation that comes from having their experiences acknowledged and the intellectual stimulation that arises from discussing their thoughts and creations with an engaged adult.