Protecting children from narcissist spouse?

First, I've been finding the videos extremely helpful. After watching them, I'm fairly certain that my spouse is a covert narcissist. If we were just dating, didn't share a house, and didn't have a child, I'd be out of this relationship ASAP. Unfortunately, this is not the case, so I feel that I need to move slowly and very carefully to extract myself from the relationship.

Are there things that the non-narcisst parent can do to shield his or her child or to help them strengthen their ego boundaries, etc.? Even if I get out, my son will need to face this person on his own then, and I do not want my him to repeat the trauma-filled life that I went through (my mother is a diagnosed borderline). We're doing play therapy, which seems to be helping him to recognize and express his feelings, but I'm already seeing how desperately he tries to earn validation from my spouse and how he's beginning to isolate himself from other kids even at age five. It's pretty clear from my spouse's behavior that my spouse only cares about the kid when it feeds his ego, and I don't want my son to get sucked into that.

Any advice for me and my fellow parents in this situation? I can't be the only one.

Thanks!

epinicion wrote:
Are there things that the non-narcisst parent can do to shield his or her child or to help them strengthen their ego boundaries, etc.?... I'm already seeing how desperately he tries to earn validation from my spouse and how he's beginning to isolate himself from other kids even at age five.

Any advice for me and my fellow parents in this situation? I can't be the only one.

Thanks!

Your not alone... I would like to know the answer to this question as well. It's difficult to know how to heal personally and help the children be strong and have boundaries or their own. My children with him are 6 and 4. I see what your talking about with both of them. I have them going to therapy with me once every so often. Also my consoler has helped with defining Values and implementing humor to pull them back to reality.  

I'm so grateful to people like Richard and this group of seekers. I will no longer abandon my self or my children again, if I can help it. Learning to help it has been the difficult part.