How can you make child custody with a narcissist work?

Being married to a narcissist is something that’s extremely difficult. These individuals are self-absorbed and don’t think about how their actions might affect others. While it’s possible to learn how to deal with a narcissist, having to do this in the context of child custody can be a nightmare.

The very nature of narcissism means that you won’t be able to count on your ex to think about what’s best for the children. Instead, they’re going to focus on how every decision that comes up is going to affect themselves. It’s going to be a challenging journey through child custody, but using these tips might help you to ensure that your children get what’s best for them while preserving your sanity.

Keep your emotions under control

A narcissist will try to get a reaction out of you so that they can feel like they’re controlling the situation. Keeping your emotions in check means that you aren’t giving them that power. If possible, have all communication go through your attorney. This takes away the chance that the narcissist will be able to see any reaction out of you at all when they try their antics.

Document everything

Narcissists will usually try a variety of methods to get their way. This includes things like fabricating lies and trying to get others to take their side. One way that you can combat this is to be very careful with what you say and do. You should also document everything that happens relating to the kids or your ex.

Typically, you can’t count on cooperative methods for creating a parenting plan when one parent is narcissistic. You should plan to have a lengthy court battle that ends with a trial. Working with an attorney who can stand up against the narcissist and their legal representation is critical in these cases.