How do I co-parent with a narcissist?
You don't co-parent with a high-conflict ex — you parallel parent: minimal direct contact, everything in writing, court orders instead of goodwill, and your energy spent making your home the stable one. The goal shifts from 'cooperate' to 'contain,' and that shift is what protects the kids.
The parallel-parenting playbook
- Written channels only (email or a court-approved app) — messages read like a judge will see them, because one day they might.
- BIFF replies: brief, informative, friendly, firm. No bait taken.
- Exchanges at school or neutral ground, not doorsteps.
- A detailed parenting plan that leaves nothing to 'work out later' — vagueness is their playground.
- A dated record of violations, kept calmly and continuously.
For the kids
Never make them messengers or spies, don't counter-badmouth (it backfires), and be the calm they can count on. One stable, honest home is a powerful counterweight — children eventually compare notes with reality.
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