Thank you all for the helpful comments. The biggest problem now is that she has convinced him that my daughter and myself are bad people, and he has swallowed it. I can't say a word to him about this, because he is on her side. Never in my wildest dreams did I think my son would do this. He and is wife attack my character by telling me I'm 'negative', and a 'gossip', and that I always have to be right, which is pretty funny, since it's just projection. I would love to have all this go away, and just surrender to them for the kids, but if I do, everything will go back to the same drama. Something has to change here. I'm just so sad I can't see my kids. What am I supposed to do about the fact that they just don't like me? I'm not about to change for them, especially at the age of 68! I am their mom, for crying out loud. I would never have thought to criticize my parents for the way they were (we all have flaws, right?). I loved them unconditionally. I would have done nothing but hurt feelings, and wouldn't have done any good.

Ugh, having witnessed the effects of serious NPD I'm sorry.

Not to that degree, but yes. My son is not the kid I raised. She has complete control of him and the kids, and has succeeded in fooling me for 11 years. She is hateful and vindictive, and always creating drama where there shouldn’t be any. I am so sad about it all, but nothing I can do but watch it unhappily unfold.

Other than encouraging that he break it off with her, there is not much anyone can do to help. Encourage him to get therapy with her maybe?

I have several extremely narcissisic family members and few exes - been there, done that. One tool I found extremely helpful was to learn NVC. NVC stands for Non-Violent Communication. It took me three tries to read the book to fully understand and be able to apply in real life with very difficult people. The point of NVC is that we must listen to people, then identify their hidden needs that they don't even know about. Then have them figure out what they need. When I applied to three very difficult people --- they all felt heard, and immediately their attitude and behavior changed. It's a whole different approach compared to how we're used to "communicating" with people. I am reading the new 3rd edition of NVC and it's even filled with more insights. Please study it and try applying it with your son when you converse with him. But practice a lot with everyday other people first to get used to it and tweak methods until it's perfected. [cnvc-bookstore.myshopify.com]

(Warning: in their site, the NVC 3rd edition is sold out - try Amazon perhaps). Best wishes with you and your son.

I feel deeply sorry for anyone in a relationship with or working for a narcissist. There is not much to do but walk away.

I have been a volunteer at an organization for about 20 years that now has a narcissist for a CEO, I no longer volunteer and I am actively campaigning for his removal.

A friend's brother (back from active duty with PTSD) was in such a relationship for six uglly years. Eventually he grew out of it and dumped her. Hope you don't have to wait that long.

There is some very good advice here. I hope you and your family get through this whichever way works for you.

He has to put on his big boy pants, find his balls, and dump her on the curb.

He has to see his problem himself. you can only guide. hitler had a mum who loved him.

My heart goes out to you. My mother is a narcissist. It is an extremely difficult thing to deal with. Mostly because the narcissist will never admitt they are wrong or even have a problem and they have a special way of making their victims doubt themselves and accept fault that isn’t theirs. I really wish there was a magic answer but the reality is that he has to admit the problem and make a clean break. Easier said than done, I know...

The key to control is lack of self esteem. Create pride and give ones self a path to victory, set responsibility goals that include the children. I don't know your son and these goals are difficult even with strong people. You would know better how to achieve this.

Having divorced a narcissist, I suggest finding a therapist who is experienced with personality disorders. They well be able to help you understand better the many layers of manipulation your son has been subjected to. I'm certain he's been threatened with harm to the children and never seeing then again were he to leave. It sounds like he has evidence of her willingness to execute such threats. You may also wish to contact local shelters for battered women to see what resources they can connect you with.

I have been in his situation, except for being beaten to the point of hospitalization. The problem with being in his situation is that it is like religion. There is such a deep emotional investment that any semblance of logic flies right out the window.

I am generally against the idea of taking antidepressants, but that was what helped me. I became almost entirely emotionless, but in that lack of emotion, I was able to start logically assessing my dire situation and find the strength to file for and pursue a divorce and custody of our son who was a toddler at the time.

I didn't fully appreciate just how bad the situation was until I was out of there and was documenting things for court. Things that I took as a matter of course or that I "deserved" when I was there became big, ugly textbook examples of blatant abuse, once I could see it from the outside. Right now he can't see it from the outside.

Feel for your family - maybe counseling would help you personally.

I suggest you talk to a professional.