Are you legally separated? Are you currently divorcing or finalizing your divorce? Or are you just overwhelmed by co-parenting? There’s an app for that.
As family law mediators, we know that parenting doesn’t stop, pause, or start depending on your relationship with your partner. It’s important for co-parents to recognize when communication is not working and seek support to improve their communication skills. This may involve attending co-parenting counseling or mediation, taking a communications course, or using technology tools to facilitate communication. With the right support and tools, co-parents can improve their communication and work towards a more positive and effective co-parenting relationship.
When communication becomes difficult, it can feel like sending or receiving a text message is more strenuous than running a marathon. During mediation sessions, people often ask us for suggestions when choosing apps to use. While Google and iCal are ways to share calendars, we know that planning for children extends beyond scheduling. Here are a few apps we have seen people choose to incorporate into their lives…
Co-Parenting Apps:
OurFamilyWizard
This app is designed specifically for divorced parents to manage and coordinate schedules, communicate, and share information about their children. It offers a shared calendar, a messaging system, a journal for recording important information, and a section for storing important documents like medical records or school schedules. It also has a feature for tracking expenses and payments related to the children, making it a useful tool for co-parenting.
TalkingParents
This app is another popular choice for co-parenting communication. It provides a secure and unalterable record of all messages, so parents can keep track of their communication and refer to it if needed. It also offers a shared calendar, a feature for tracking expenses and payments, and the ability to add third-party users, such as lawyers or mediators.
Cozi
Not specifically designed for divorced parents, Cozi is a popular family organizer app that can be useful for co-parenting. It offers a shared calendar, a to-do list feature, and the ability to store and share important documents. It also has a shopping list feature that can be helpful for coordinating household needs and expenses. Cozi is available on both iOS and Android devices and can be accessed from a desktop computer as well.
You Don’t Have to Do It Alone
While we don’t endorse one app over another, these are some basic ideas to help you understand that you don’t have to do it alone. You will have to investigate whether you want a free plan or how you would divide costs of maintaining an app. If you need more help, don’t hesitate to reach out to us for a free consultation to see what we can do to help you make efficient agreements with your co-parent.
by: Lauren K. Kominkiewicz
