Sharing parental duties with a narcissistic partner is incredibly difficult.
Every time you and they have a fight over something it is going to affect the child/children in a bad way.
And while you may have been unaware that your current partner or your ex was a narcissist when you met them or before you ended up having a child together, as time went on they slowly started showing their true face. Coming to this realization was a shock to your system but it was already too late to turn back time and now that a child or children are involved you are unable to simply walk away from this shared parenthood. But however you may be feeling, you must accept this reality and keep going forward, because now there truly is something at stake worth fighting for.
In all seriousness, if the narcissist in your life is doing something you consider harmful to your child, do not think twice about fighting to take sole custody and don’t let them near your ex. But if things aren’t that dramatic, you should do everything possible to keep a healthy relationship as this will be crucial to your child’s positive development.
In order to boost your chances of successful co-parenting with a narcissist, first, you need to set up boundaries and find a way to make up for the areas in which your ex is lacking.
For example, if the narcissist is unable to support the child enough emotionally, you must step in a give him or her all the love they deserve.
You personally, however, need to keep your contact with the narcissist to a minimum.
Do not allow them to drag you back to the painful past you just escaped from. Keep your relationship with them strictly in terms of childcare, and avoid turning the child against one another because that will make things even worse. Keeping your cool when dealing with a narcissist can be extremely difficult but it is something you must do for the sake of the child. Also, know that you might be the only one who can set a good example for your little one.
And while your narcissist ex will most likely try to turn your child against you from time to time, the more they grow, the more their eyes will open for the truth.
It is also advisable to limit your contact with the narcissist while you are with your child. For example, tell them not to call unless it’s something important, or limit their calls to the child to one before you put him or her to bed if needed. If your child turns to the other each time something upsets them it will cause drama between you and your ex and that will make things even more complicated and ugly.
Do your best to teach your child right from wrong and definitely put effort into teaching them how NOT to behave towards other people, so they don’t one day end up becoming like their narcissist parent.
Try to ignore the nastiness that your ex will be throwing your way from time to time and focus your energy on teaching your child how to stand up for themselves rather than being a victim of life. Your child does not need your pity, it needs your strength, love, and unconditional support.
If you wish to learn more, please see the video below.
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