Do you and your spouse know it’s time to say goodbye? Are you concerned about your future as co-parents while working on a custody arrangement? Is a drama-free co-parenting relationship one of your top priorities? Transitioning to a new family dynamic can be tough, but using the right tools can really help.
Co-parenting apps can be a game-changer, reducing stress and conflict while giving you the stability and organization you need to make the shift smoother and more manageable. By using these apps, you can streamline communication, keep track of responsibilities, and stay on the same page about what’s best for your kids.
Let’s dive into a couple of the most popular co-parenting apps!
1. OurFamilyWizard – “The most advanced tools to help your family manage shared parenting.”
Features and Functionality
Calls and Video Calls: A new feature of OurFamilyWizard that allows you to communicate in real time via calls or video calls. It also lets you set your availability for making or receiving calls.
Messages: Enables you to send and receive messages with your co-parent, offering a layer of security as messages cannot be erased or edited. This is particularly helpful in scenarios when there is a disagreement about past conversations or when accurate records are needed for legal purposes.
Calendar: Helps eliminate confusion over pickups, drop-offs, appointments, and other important events involving your children.
Expenses: Allows you to track shared parenting expenses, share receipts, and keep a history of who has paid for what.
Info Bank: A centralized place to store medical histories, insurance information, emergency contacts, school schedules, files, photos, and more.
Journal: A place to document schedule changes, memories, and check-ins when your child moves to your co-parent’s house.
ToneMeter™: Designed to keep conversations with your co-parent civil, the ToneMeter provides feedback to help you avoid confrontation.
Pricing
| Essentials Plan: $12.50/Month or $150/Annually | This plan allows 45 minutes of video and audio calls per month, and includes tools for scheduling, expense tracking, and communication with real-time feedback from ToneMeter™. You can also manage limited reimbursements, share memories, keep private journal entries, verify check-ins with GPS, and more. |
| Premium Plan: $18/Month or $216/Annually | This plan includes everything the essentials plan does, as well as access to unlimited calls, unlimited shared payments, secured storage, and the ability to request unlimited certified records which are notarized, printed, and mailed to you. |
| Max Plan: $24.99/Month or $299.88/Annually | Includes features of essentials and premium plans, as well as call recordings, transcriptions, and storage of the two for up to 90 days. |
Pros
- Availability Consent: The ability to choose whether or not you’re available for contact with your co-parent allows you to set boundaries around communication times and protect your peace.
Cons
- Potential Scheduling Conflicts: While availability consent is a pro, it can also be a con. For example, it may make it harder for you and your co-parent to find appropriate times to coordinate your schedules if one of you is available for contact and the other is not.
- Subscription Fee: The cost of the app could be an obstacle for parents who are on a tight budget.
2. Talking Parents – “Making co-parenting easier through better communication.”
Features and Functionality
Accountable Calling: Start or answer video/phone calls.
Secure Messaging: Lets you see when your co-parent has viewed your messages and timestamps every message sent and received.
Info Library: Provides quick access and storage of important information, like your child’s clothing and shoe sizes, daycare contact information, allergies, dietary restrictions, medical information, emergency contacts, and more.
Personal Journal: Allows you to take notes about experiences, memories, conversations with your co-parent, etc.
Unaltered Records: Secures records with a digital signature and a unique 16-digit authentication code.
Shared Calendar: Helps you organize and collaborate on your custody schedule, appointments, extracurricular activities, etc.
Accountable Payments: Eliminates payment confusion with timestamps and offers the convenience of scheduling monthly recurring payments.
Pricing
| Free Plan: $0 | Offers website access for sending and receiving secure, time-stamped messages, as well as full access to the Shared Calendar for coordinating custody schedules and appointments. |
| Standard Plan: $9.99/Month | Includes all free features, as well as recorded phone and video calls, express payments that are processed up to 6 days faster, and additional features. |
| Premium Plan: $24.99/Month | Includes all Standard and Free features, plus the ability to send and receive payments, such as child support, with full access to Accountable Payments. You can also share vital information like allergy details and emergency contacts through the Info Library, and access unlimited PDF records almost immediately via email. |
Pros
- Centralized Information: Easy access to important information in one, secure location.
- Enhanced Security: Secure messaging and unalterable records protect communication and documents from tampering, offering users peace of mind.
Cons
- Subscription Fee: For more than the basic features, there is a cost, which may be difficult to meet for individuals who cannot afford the premium plans.
- Learning Curve: While the app is reviewed as “user-friendly,” some parents might find the variety of features overwhelming at first, leading to a learning curve or hesitation to get maximum use of the app.
How Co-Parenting Apps Can Be Beneficial to Your Family
When divorce occurs and you have to create a custody arrangement, it can be difficult to transition into a new “normal” for your family. From daily routines to holiday traditions, everything changes for you and your children. This can make it challenging to find harmony with your co-parent, especially if your relationship isn’t amicable to begin with. It’s crucial to remember that what’s best for your children should be the top priority.
Co-parenting apps can help you find a new dynamic for your family after divorce by offering real-time tools that allow you to work together with your co-parent while still setting boundaries for yourself, as you have undergone significant emotional adjustments and need time to heal.
By using these apps, you can minimize drama, reduce the risk of conflicts, and avoid the stress of courtroom battles, sparing both you and your child from unnecessary tension and stress.
How Word Family Law Group Can Help You
Have you and your spouse decided to part ways and need to not only create a custody arrangement, but foster and maintain an effective co-parenting relationship? We can help. At Word Family Law, we believe the best solution prioritizes your children’s well-being.
In most cases, mediation is the best way to retain control over the outcome of your custody arrangement in order to craft an arrangement that’s focused on their best interests. A judge can’t and won’t understand your child’s needs like you and your co-parent do. Our family law attorney, Christopher P. Word, can guide you through the steps of mediation so that you can work collaboratively with your co-parent to set the terms of custody.
If collaboration isn’t possible or appropriate, he can also help you through the traditional custody process and fight for your parental rights. Christopher has over 15 years of experience, so he understands that custody can be a complicated and sensitive process. You can trust that with his knowledge and experience, your case is in excellent hands. Call Word Family Law Group today to request a consultation and learn more about your options.
