Divorcing with children in Mid-Michigan cities like Lansing, Okemos, DeWitt, Jackson, Charlotte, St. Johns, or Ionia often comes with emotional mind games. One of the most common? The “Disney Dad” act. There is also the “Disney Mom” game.
Your ex-spouse may be suddenly handing out expensive gifts, planning lavish vacations, buying new electronic devices, or treating the kids like they’ve won the lottery every weekend. This type of behavior isn’t about the kids. It’s a not-so-subtle form of manipulation.
In this blog, Attorney Charles Kronzek explores how to recognize this tactic, how Michigan judges view this type of behavior during or after a divorce, and how to take back control when navigating a divorce in Ingham, Eaton, Clinton, or Ionia County.
What Is a “Disney Dad” or a “Disney Mom”?
A “Disney Dad” is a parent (usually the father, but sometimes the mother) who showers the children with gifts, expensive outings, and extravagant experiences. In other words, the parent who is attempting to establish themselves as the “fun parent”. It often serves as a power play to:
- Win the kids’ affection
- Undermine the other parent’s role
- Distracting from financial manipulation behind the scenes.
Here in the Lansing area, our family courts are increasingly aware of this pattern of behavior, especially when it creates confusion or emotional distress for the children. It’s also important when it affects the integrity of financial disclosures during divorce.
How It Impacts Lansing Area Divorces
These cases often involve more than just emotional stress; they involve real financial risk. Here’s how “Disney Dad/Mom” behavior can damage your financial future:
1. Disrupts Equitable Distribution
In Michigan, marital property must be divided fairly, but not necessarily equally. This is called “equitable distribution”. A spouse who wastes marital assets on unnecessary, lavish purchases may try to hide or deplete assets before the court can divide them.
2. Creates a False Financial Narrative
We often see spouses downplay their income, conceal accounts, or overvalue debt while simultaneously making showy purchases. This misrepresentation can unfairly reduce spousal support or child support obligations. This deception isn’t new, it’s not unique, and it isn’t well-received by most Michigan family court judges.
3. Leads to Lifestyle Imbalance
This situation usually has one parent unfairly bearing all the expenses for the child’s well-being (housing, food, healthcare, etc.), while the other parent spends money on unnecessary gifts and appears to be the hero. This imbalance (bribery) can contribute to a drop in lifestyle post-divorce.
Using Michigan Law to Push Back
Michigan divorce law provides tools to uncover financial misconduct and ensure fair treatment. Highly skilled attorneys with decades of experience have extensive training and practice in uncovering assets.
🔍 Request Full Financial Disclosure
Under Michigan Court Rule 3.206(C), each party must provide a financial statement called the Domestic Relations Verified Financial Information Form. It requires each party to list all assets, debts, income, and other such information. If you suspect your ex-spouse has been untruthful in the form, your attorney can use discovery tools to request additional information, such as:
- Tax returns
- Bank and credit card statements
- Retirement account information
- Business records
Don’t rely only on voluntary disclosures. Speak with your family law attorney about formal discovery requests to find hidden information. We have lots of tools and decades of experience to assist us in being your advocate.
⚖️ Ask the Court to Impute Income
If your ex is manipulating income or underreporting earnings, the court has discretion to “impute” income based on earning capacity. This is especially important in cases involving spousal support (MCL 552.23) or child support (using the Michigan Child Support Formula).To learn more about imputing income, click here.
🧾 Document Wasteful Spending
If s/he’s using marital funds on trips, luxury items, or gifts after separation, that could be considered “dissipation of assets.” Keeping a detailed record of this spending could be useful to your attorney. This could show the court that it should assign the wasteful spending to his share of the property division.
How to Advocate for Yourself in a Mid-Michigan Divorce
You should never try to match your ex’s bad actions. Instead, your family law lawyer should focus on long-term stability.
✅ Prioritize the Big Picture
Kids won’t remember the price of a vacation, but they will remember the parent who was consistent, stable, and present.
✅ Work With an Expert
An experienced Michigan family law attorney can help uncover hidden assets, assess fair values, and protect your financial future.
✅ Use Your Legal Team Strategically
Whether you’re litigating in the Ingham County Circuit Court, Eaton County Court in Charlotte, Clinton County in St. Johns, or the Ionia County Courthouse, your attorney can help you request necessary court orders, subpoena financial records, and challenge false narratives. Aggressively uncovering financial misconduct is one of our specialties.
Need Help Advocating for a Fair Divorce?
At The Kronzek Firm, our Mid-Michigan divorce attorneys help residents of Lansing, East Lansing, Charlotte, DeWitt, Howell, Brighton, Okemos, Ionia, Jackson, and surrounding communities secure their rightful share and protect their futures. If you suspect financial manipulation in your divorce or you’re just feeling overwhelmed, contact us today to schedule a consultation.
Contact our Lansing office at (517) 886-1000 to schedule a consultation. We’ll help you expose the games, navigate the legal system, and reclaim your financial power. Our phones are answered 24/7, and we’re available for crisis intervention.
[Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult an attorney for personalized guidance.]