There are many reasons couples get divorced, and dealing with narcissistic tendencies is an extremely common one. While you may have divorced your ex due to his or her narcissistic behavior, if you have children together you will likely still need to manage a co-parenting situation.
For many reasons, including a narcissist’s tendency to manipulate situations, this is not easy. However, the courts can help you. According to Healthline, having a legal parenting plan and having the court appoint a guardian ad litem can help when managing narcissistic exes.
The legal parenting plan
No matter how well a divorced couple gets along, there must be some form of a parenting plan in place. The parenting plan generally deals with who has custody of the children, for how long, how custody transfer occurs and who is responsible for medical and educational expenses.
However, with a narcissist in the picture, you may find it valuable to have the court sign off on this plan. This way, if the narcissist tries to start manipulating agreed-upon terms, you will be able to have the court mediate the situation.
The guardian ad litem
This is a person that the courts appoint as a “neutral” mediator. The guardian ad litem will get to know your children and your overall situation. They will be able to make recommendations to the court on how the parenting situation is going. They can also act as a mediator between you and your ex if communication is impossible otherwise.
If your ex is a narcissist and you are in a co-parenting situation, you can lean upon the courts to ensure that all is operating in the best interest of the child.
