Sadly, the narcissist isn’t the only person you need to watch out for.
If you are around their family, you’re going to see similarities in so many of the different members that I have to warn you about them.
I would say, trust none of them. Don’t open your mouth, don’t see the good side of them, don’t think, “Aw, maybe they’re just trying to be nice.”
With these 6 family members, there’s no such thing.
#1 Their narcissistic parent
The narcissist you know will have had to have got it from somewhere, right?
The chances are, they will have got it from a parent.
It won’t take you long to figure out which one, as when you meet them both, you will pick up on the same kinds of character traits and behavior patterns.
Once the parent has been identified, you must learn quickly to never trust them.
Don’t trust a word that comes out of their mouth, and don’t trust anything they promise you they will do for you.
You’ll end up bitterly disappointed, and anything you’ve previously told them will be shared with whoever they feel like sharing it all with.
Narcissistic parents will often see their narcissistic child as the golden child; the one who can do no wrong.
Don’t fall for the previous generation, when you’re already suffering enough with the current one.
#2 The spoiled sibling
The spoiled sibling will not have much time for you, but they will have all the time in the world if you’re sniffing around them trying to find ways to connect with them.
You might want to impress them, and show them that you’re a fun, cool person to be around. Why do you have anything to prove?
The simple answer is this:
Don’t trust who you are when you’re around people like this.
The chances are, you’re going to be eaten for breakfast and seen as a person who wants validation and to be liked rather than who is in charge of their own power.
The spoiled sibling will do all they can to create even more drama, and will be quick to want to hear all about your life, so the narcissist will see them as a threat.
#3 The grumpy grandparent
I know it’s kind of funny to think of older generations as a little grumpy, and sometimes they can be.
I mean, if you had lived that old and seen so many changes in the world, wouldn’t you be a little annoyed with life in general?
The grumpy grandparent can sometimes have more layers than you might anticipate, and remember, the narcissist’s parent will have come from this ancestral line, so you really have to ask yourself this:
Is it grumpiness, or is this what narcissism looks like in older age?
I know they will want to look as innocent as possible, but that’s where you apply your boundaries and think to yourself, “Actually, it’s far better if I keep my distance from this one.”
Look for little signs that the grumpy grandparent has things in common with the narcissist you know, and trace back the patterns even further than the narcissistic parent.
#4 Their narcissistic kid
If there is a narcissistic kid in the picture, you will want to give them a very wide berth. Don’t entertain them and their drama which will be off the charts.
You’ll suddenly be blamed for everything, treated like you are dirt, and they will plainly lie about you in sight of everybody else just to see the reaction of both them and you.
You won’t have a leg to stand on as you protest your innocence and try to prove you said or did nothing wrong, but by then it’ll be too late.
The narcissistic kid is next in line for the throne, and the more attention you give them, the more they will see you as a pawn in their little game.
I know it might seem tricky to try to dodge the kid who is like a younger version of the very person who is turning your world toxic, but trust me, it’s a good idea to keep your distance.
#5 The poisonous aunt or uncle
Bluntly, there is poison running all through the narcissist’s family, you just need to figure out who carries more of it, and some do more than others.
Aunts and uncles are the ones people tend to avoid observing as they assume they’re just going to be safe from toxicity…
…But you’d be making a big mistake if you did.
Aunts and uncles come from their own generational issues, and nine times out of ten, you’ll spot a narcissist within the mix if you look hard enough.
From the way your aunt sashays into the room, commanding attention and not giving you any time unless it suits her, the arrogant uncle who thinks the world owes him a favor.
Both will be obsessed with how they look, and they will look down their nose at you like you’re the latest problem to enter the family dynamic.
If you get close enough to have a conversation with the narcissistic aunt or uncle, I urge you to keep it simple, light, and give as little information about yourself away as you can.
Advice like this is worth it when you get to walk away from the family event without them going their way with everything about you under their hat.
#6 The brainwashed anybody
Family members of narcissists to never trust don’t always have to be narcissists themselves.
Sometimes, those you should avoid are the ones who have been brainwashed by the narcissist over the years.
They won’t want to get involved in any negative talk about the narcissist, so you’d be wasting your time trying to open up to any of them.
Equally, they will make it known just how much they don’t want to get involved in whatever is going on.
You see them fall and fawn over the narcissist, who has them wrapped around their little finger.
To them, they can do no wrong, so trusting them with any kind of sound advice or opinion is immediately invalid due to the weakness of their own character.
Personally for me, these kinds of people often know deep down that something isn’t right, but they prefer to keep it buried deep so they don’t have to deal with the fallout.
Trusting them with anything is pointless, as all it does is raise your annoyance when you see how well they treat the narcissist, and how wrong they are about them.
#7 When trust turns dangerous
The dangerous thing about trusting these family members of a narcissist is that it puts pressure on you to show up and give away any information you have or want to share.
Over time, the people I mentioned will try hard to extract what they can from you, knowing you will freely hand it over.
It’s then you will be manipulated by them, and problems are likely to occur.
Rather than trust, treat them like they’re breakable objects. Be careful, and use your words and actions cautiously.
