Apps to Make Co-Parenting Easier
While much of the focus for a divorcing couple is on the process, if you have children, it is simply the beginning. As a leading divorce attorney in Provo, we counsel our clients to maintain a level of civility with the ex-spouse whenever possible, especially when you have children. While this goal is not realistic in many cases, it is attainable in many others.
Children need their parents more than ever when the family is undergoing such a drastic change. Many parents, when discussing divorce, explain to their children that the fighting and conflicts will cease and everyone will be happier in the long run. When contention remains, it undermines the child’s trust in their parents in a serious fashion.
When you are struggling to create a new normal for your family, there will undoubtedly be issues that arise when you’re co-parenting your children. After all, having significant differences with your ex-spouse is why you are divorcing, right? Using texts, emails, instant messages can be a help for you as you work to navigate a new role in your relationship, shifting from an ex-spouse to a co-parent.
There are numerous apps that are designed for divorced families. They offer assistance in tracking parenting schedules, appointments, school, and medical information as well as financial tracking for shared expenses.
Ideally, both co-parents using the app yields the best result. Most of them can be used by only one parent, but it is more cumbersome to import messages into the app when you do. “When looking at these apps, it’s important to pick one that best fits your situation,” explains a Provo divorce attorney. “If your parenting plan doesn’t include split-time custody, it doesn’t make much sense to select an app having that as its main focus.”
Two of the top apps recommend are: AppClose and SmartCoparent.
Features of AppClose:
- Free to use and no subscription required
- Ability to add other parties to the group (step-parents, grandparents, etc.)
- Shared calendars of activities
- Messaging capability
- Change requests for pickups, drop offs, etc.
- Scan receipts to track expenses
- Ability to request, send, and receive money through the app
- Information can be exported to create reports
- Apple and Android versions available
Features of SmartCoparent
- Free for most features (There is an added subscription payment model, but the free version has features enough for most families.)
- Robust financial tracking, reminders, payments
- Contact storage and sharing
- In-app messaging
- Kid-friendly accounts can be created, with shared calendars and messaging
- Chat function shows when and if a message was read
- Notifications for calendar events and messages
- Available for Android and Apple
