How to engage with a narcissist
So, I co-parent with a partner who has very strong narcissistic characteristics. She is very proud, incapable of compromise, and willing to do ANYTHING to "win" the battle of custody and divorce, regardless of the way it affect our child. I have spent nearly half a decade engaged in brutal legal conflict with her. Including several criminal accusations. She is incredibly persuasive and very talented at making herself appear a certain way to those that don't know her well. In my experience the best way to deal with her??? 1 "grey rocking" is a method of interacting with a narcissist where you simply do not engage or react to their provocations. ESPECIALLY in legal battles the most beneficial thing for them is to provoke a reaction from you and then make you out to be the crazy one. I personally fell for this hook, line, and sinker. Try using ChatGPT or a similar A.I whenever responding to any messages from them. This way you can vent and say all of the things you want to say, tell ChatGPT to re-write it as professional and business like and just like that screw you, you don't even have a soul. I hate you and I can't believe I ever fell for your crap" becomes “I feel deeply misled and disappointed by your actions. The trust I placed in you has been broken, and I no longer wish to continue this relationship.” I have also found it very helpful to make them feel like you acknowledge their superiority. This is a hard pill to swallow, but it will help out in the long run. Especially if you're not exactly batting a thousand with the courts. Something as simple as giving them choices when scheduling a time "would you like to do 12 to 6 or 2 to 8 on Saturday, or I can either pick our child up on Saturday and drop her off or we can do Sunday but then you will have to pick them up at my place. These are just the things that I have learned in my struggles in my nearly 10 years and $100,000 in legal fees battle with two "baby mommas" in the divorce and custody process
Replies (0)
No replies yet. Be the first to offer support.
Join the brotherhood to reply and support other fathers.
How to get the most from this discussion
Threads in the co-parenting category are written by fathers sharing what actually happened in their cases—what they filed, what the judge asked, what worked and what backfired. Treat every reply as lived experience, not legal advice: custody rules differ in every state, and even counties apply them differently. Cross-check anything that matters against your state's summary in the 50-state law guide, then bring your questions to a licensed attorney from the directory.
If this thread hits close to home, you're welcome to reply, ask a follow-up, or start your own discussion. Keep names, case numbers, and identifying details out of your posts to protect your children and your case. Dads in crisis can call or text 988 any hour of the day.