Co-parenting is challenging for most parents, and this is especially true when each parent is trying to manage their own household. When you are trying to work around several schedules and needs, it can be easy for things to fall through the cracks. The Massachusetts family law attorneys and divorce lawyers at Cohen Cleary, P.C. understand that these challenges are only compounded when you experience additional conflict or communication issues.
In an effort to support efficient communication and scheduling, we often suggest that our families use some popular communication tools and apps.
Why Co-Parenting Apps Are Becoming Essential for Modern Families
Many of us have been forced to move to a fully digital system when it comes to scheduling appointments, paying bills, communicating with teachers, and most other things. In a modern world, using co-parenting apps give families a centralized station to support clear and effective communication among relevant parties, keep the kids out of the center of conflict, and provide accountability to both parents.
Key Features to Look for in a Co-Parenting App
There are countless co-parenting apps in the app store that offer several types of features. Your exact needs will depend on your situation. However, there are several that we have found to be incredibly helpful for our clients. These often include:
- Secure communication
- Shared, and tamper proof calendars
- Expense tracking with receipt uploads
- Document storage
- Tone monitoring
Additionally, you may want to consider features that allow third parties, such as lawyers or mediators, to have viewing access.
Best Co-Parenting Apps and Communication Tools
There are many apps you can find that can be integral to effective and low-conflict communication and schedule management.
OurFamilyWizard (OFW)
OurFamilyWizard (OFW) is a comprehensive coparenting app. This app is well-suited for any family situation, though it has many features that make it ideal for high-conflict divorce and co-parenting situations. These include all of those mentioned above, in addition to calling functions.
However, OFW comes with a higher price tag, can have a steep learning curve, and those in lower conflict situations report that communicating through the app feels like it hinders their normal communication flow.
TalkingParents
TalkingParents is another app well-suited to higher-conflict situations. It offers many of the same features as OFW (though not all), and you can obtain court-appropriate documentation with relative ease.
This platform does offer free options that lack some of the more in-depth features, though this may be ideal for low-conflict parents who are just looking for general support with documentation and accountability.
AppClose
AppClose is often seen as the cheaper and simpler alternative to other apps like OFW and TalkingParents. The platform offers cheap options for most, and free options for survivors of domestic violence or financial hardship. AppClose typically includes many of the features of other apps, such as secure messaging, shared calendars, expense tracking, and basic record-keeping.
While this is a great option for many families, it is much simpler and less commonly ordered by the courts.
2Houses
2Houses is well known for its strength in scheduling and organizing. The shared calendar will even allow you to sync it with calendar systems like Outlook or Google Calendar. This co-parenting app offers multiple ways to communicate, as well as detailed expense-tracking features. A unique feature of 2Houses is its focus on the family as a unit and its facilitation of features like the ‘wish list,’ which helps kids communicate their needs to their parents.
WeParent
Like 2Houses, WeParent helps families keep a centralized flow when it comes to coparenting. It provides shared custody calendars, secure messaging, expense tracking, payment records, and documentation support. This is another app that can do well for lower-conflict families.
Cozi (General Family Organizer)
Cozi is among the most casual options. This is going to be most appropriate for families that just need some kind of shared calendar and organization for parents who are committed to healthy communication and who already work well together. Cozi has a free version you can use, and it allows others to join your calendar. However, this is not going to be a good fit for families that have higher support needs when it comes to communication or documenting events for court.
How to Choose the Right Co-Parenting App for Your Situation
With so many options, it can be challenging to determine the best app for your situation. In some cases, the court will make the decision for you and include a specific app to use. If the order doesn’t require a specific app, you can always speak with your attorney to see what may be best.
Benefits of Using Co-Parenting Apps
Coparenting apps can be integral to helping parents focus on what is important. Those that help you manage your tone can help you build effective communication skills when it comes to your co-parent, and in-app messaging and calling will help you focus on the task at hand and hold everyone accountable.
Additionally, with so many components of co-parenting (like tracking schedules, school meetings, and split expenses) it can be helpful to have everything housed in one place.
Tips for Successfully Using Co-Parenting Apps and Tools
When you choose to use a coparenting app, it is important to commit to it. They become less effective if you are communicating outside of it, or if you fail to update expenses and calendars.
How Cohen Cleary Can Help With Co-Parenting and Custody Issues
The family law and custody attorneys at Cohen Cleary are dedicated to helping your family navigate your custody issues and concerns. Whether you need complete support with a tool like OFW, or just something to make scheduling easier and more consistent, we can help you find the right fit for your family. Our team is here. Call us today to schedule a case consultation and learn more about what we can do for you.
