Co-parenting is a challenge, even in the best of circumstances and an amicable divorce. However, if your ex is a narcissist, it is unlikely the divorce was amicable and the challenges of co-parenting effectively intensify.
The good news is that there are several different strategies you can employ to manage this situation and act in the best interests of your child. According to Healthline, having a legal parenting plan and making sure to document everything can help greatly when working with a narcissistic co-parent.
The legal plan
Any set of co-parents should have a parenting plan in place. This includes things like pickup and dropoff times, divides who is responsible for covering medical and schooling expenses, and generally provides a roadmap for joint parenting. However, if your ex is a narcissist, it may be worth your time to ensure that the courts enforce the parenting plan.
This will make it difficult for your ex to manipulate the situation. If your ex does not abide by a legal parenting plan, you can take him or her to court and have the judge enforce the plan.
Documenting everything
It may be beneficial for you to keep a running log of parenting plan breaches. Things like missing pickups and dropoffs, or trying to manipulate the plan. The log should include dates and times. This way, you will have all the necessary details if you must take your ex back to court in order to re-evaluate parenting time or enforce necessary aspects.
Approaching co-parenting with your narcissist ex in a rational way will help ensure your sanity and the interests of your child.
