Co-Parenting With a Narcissist: How to Protect Your Teen

About this episode

This episode discusses expert strategies for co-parenting with a narcissist to protect children and maintain sanity.

Co-parenting with a narcissistic partner presents unique challenges that go far beyond typical parenting disagreements. In this episode, clinical psychologist Dr. Kibby McMahon reveals evidence-based strategies for navigating this complex dynamic while prioritizing your children’s wellbeing. The core issue: narcissists operate from a ”disorder of specialness,” believing they’re inherently superior and requiring constant validation. This manifests as one-upmanship, power struggles, and a fundamental inability to collaborate—even when children’s needs are at stake. Dr. McMahon introduces Gray Rock, a proven technique where you become as boring and unresponsive as a gray rock, eliminating the narcissist’s ability to provoke reactive behavior. She emphasizes that you cannot win a competition with a narcissistic co-parent; stepping out of the ”boxing ring” entirely is the only winning move.

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Cam

Guest: Dr. Kibby McMahon

Topics covered

• co-parenting
• narcissism
• child wellbeing
• psychology
• parenting strategies

Keywords

• co-parenting
• narcissist
• Gray Rock technique
• parenting challenges
• child wellbeing

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