Navigating co-parenting during and after a split with a former spouse or partner can be a challenging journey for many families. Fortunately, modern technology offers a range of solutions to help manage the complexities of shared parenting.
For example, co-parenting apps are becoming increasingly popular tools, providing platforms for communication, scheduling, expense tracking and more. These apps are designed to minimize conflict and enhance collaboration between divorced or separated parents. A few of the most popular co-parenting apps are introduced below.
OurFamilyWizard
Widely recognized for its comprehensive features, OurFamilyWizard is a favorite among co-parents. The app includes a shared calendar for scheduling child custody, holidays and school events. It also features a message board for secure communication, an expense log for tracking shared expenses and an information bank for storing important details like medical records and emergency contacts. It even features a ToneMeter, which helps parents communicate more effectively by flagging emotionally charged language before messages are sent.
Coparently
Coparently provides co-parents with an array of tools to facilitate communication and organization. Its features include a shared calendar, a messaging system and expense tracking. The app also allows for secure document storage, making it easy to keep track of important paperwork. Coparently is designed to be child-friendly, offering children their own logins to check schedules, which can help them feel more involved and informed about their arrangements.
TalkingParents
This app is designed to improve communication between co-parents by keeping an unalterable record of all conversations, which can be crucial in high-conflict situations or for legal documentation. TalkingParents includes a shared calendar, secure messaging and financial tracking.
AppClose
AppClose is a free co-parenting app that offers many of the features found in other paid apps. It includes a shared calendar, messaging and expense recording. It also allows parents to send reimbursement requests directly through the app and provides a feature for exporting records, which can be useful for legal purposes or mediation.
In addition to apps that have been specifically designed to streamline communication and collaboration between co-parents, each of a child’s parents may benefit from using platforms – such as Caribu or Kinzoo – designed to facilitate communication between parents and their kids when they aren’t under the same roof on any particular day.
Ultimately, taking advantage of what technology has to offer can help co-parents and their children alike manage the challenges of a divided family arrangement more effectively.
