Child custody cases are challenging even under the best of circumstances, but when a narcissistic parent is involved, things get even more difficult. The emotional abuse the children have to endure might not be noticeable to the general public or those who are in contact with them because the narcissist will go to great lengths to ensure they appear kind and loving in public.
Behind closed doors, the narcissist may lash out at the children. They are also likely to alienate the other parent from the children. They don’t want anything to come between them and what they want. Because they have an altered sense of reality, they believe they are superior to the child’s other parent and will try to use manipulative methods to get their way in court.
Going through this type of situation is very challenging because it can be difficult to prove the methods that the narcissist is using to try to retain control of the situation. Anyone who’s fighting this type of war against a person who’s mentally unstable should ensure they work with a divorce team that can stand firm against the tactics of the narcissist.
One way that you might make things easier for yourself when you’re in the midst of a child custody battle with a narcissist is to have your attorney handle all communication. The narcissist can’t see your reactions to their tactics, which may anger them, but it also takes some of the power from them.
Ultimately, keeping your children protected is the priority. This may mean that you need to allow them to work with mental health professionals so they can try to process their feeling and learn options for dealing with the narcissist’s behavior. The children don’t need to internalize the actions of their parent.