9 Problems You Can Solve With a Co-Parenting App
Note: All these details are accurate for one co-parenting app—see the end of the article to discover which one.
Co-parenting involves a lot of tasks and, often, a lot of problems—from juggling responsibilities to disagreeing about the calendar to feeling stressed out. You want to co-parent the best you can, for your kid’s sake, but it’s just fraught with challenges.
Here are nine problems you can solve with one simple solution: Use a co-parenting app.
Problem #1: Your co-parenting life is spread over many apps.
Solution: Centralize your co-parenting tasks with a co-parenting app.
Some co-parenting apps have everything you need—a parenting time calendar, documented calling, secure messaging, shared expense tracking, information storage, and GPS check-ins to log your location. Now you don’t have to spend time hunting through texts, emails, Instagram, and Messenger to see where your co-parent sent you that one message. Or if you usually talk in person, switching to an app means you won’t need to rely on memory.
Plus, there’s no need to synchronize Venmo and a spreadsheet, or coordinate between text messages and changes to the parenting time calendar.
If it’s from your co-parent, then it’s in the co-parenting app. All of it.
Problem #2: Seeing texts from your co-parent stresses you out.
Solution: Compartmentalize to cut down on stress.
When all your communications are in the app, you don’t have to look at them until you’re ready. Most co-parenting apps send notifications, and some apps don’t show message previews. That way, you won’t be disrupted by something upsetting in the middle of the workday or during family time. With some apps, you can even set the notifications to a daily digest, so they don’t ping you throughout the day.
Problem #3: Your kids overhear fights between you and their other parent.
Solution: Keep your disagreements in the co-parenting app, where the kids can’t hear or peek.
Realistically, if you argue in person, then the kids probably hear it sometimes. This kind of stress can be traumatic for children. But if all your arguments play out through messaging in a co-parenting app, then they can’t hear a thing. And if that app has password protection and doesn’t show notification previews, you can protect your kids from witnessing any upsetting conversations online—even if they borrow your phone.
Problem #4: You worry about demonstrating your perspective in court.
Solution: Use an app that automatically documents everything—with no room for manipulation.
For some apps, messages can’t be edited or deleted. Once a message is sent, it’s a permanent part of the record. Same goes for schedule change requests (even if they’re declined), logs of call details, location check-ins via GPS, and reimbursement requests (whether they’re refused, accepted, expired, or paid)—and more.
At least one co-parenting app lets you create a PDF record of activity in any feature in the app. It’s quick and customizable, available 24/7 with no extra charge. But watch out, because not all co-parenting apps offer the same access to reports or customization.
Problem #5: You spend a lot of money on legal bills.
Solution: Use an app that streamlines your tasks—and your lawyer’s.
Because everything is centrally documented and you can easily generate a PDF report, your lawyer doesn’t have to spend so much time compiling evidence. In fact, you can even grant access to your lawyer so they can go into the app and get exactly what they need, quickly.
Some apps have a fee, but just think of how much your lawyer chargers per hour. When you stop paying for busy work, your fees might be low enough to cover the cost of the app.
A co-parenting app can even help you resolve disputes on your own. Many co-parents go back to court when they can’t agree on parenting time, for example. But some co-parenting apps have tools that can help you negotiate changes on your own. You can propose dates to swap parenting time or even provide counteroffers to help with negotiation.
Problem #6: It’s hard to prove reliability.
Solution: Document everything—not just conversations but also dropoffs, pickups, child support, expenses, and more.
With thorough documentation, it’s simple to prove that you’re reliable. If your GPS check-ins match the pickup and dropoff times on the calendar, then it’s clear that you’re there as scheduled. The kids can depend on you. Or if you pay expenses on time, the record will reflect that, too.
The record reflects whatever actually happens—it shows the whole truth.
Problem #7: Communication is rough.
Solution: Remember you’re on the record... and get automatic feedback on your tone.
With all communication on the record, there’s more motivation to be polite and respectful. After all, your lawyer, parenting coordinator, guardian ad litem, and even the judge could see both your messages. Any unkind messaging is permanently documented and admissible in court.
ToneMeter™, a tool exclusive to OurFamilyWizard, also helps keep communications respectful. It acts like an emotional spellcheck, highlighting language that could spark or escalate conflict and giving you a chance to rewrite before you send.
Problem 8: Co-parenting is complex—it takes up a lot of room in your mind.
Solution: Use tailored tools in one central place and reclaim some scattered brain space.
With problems 1-7 solved—or at least a little easier to manage—you won’t have to spend so much brainpower juggling all the different co-parenting tasks and stressors. You can handle them all in one space, in a highly organized app that has a separate tool for each co-parenting task. Then you can reclaim some space in your mind for the kids, family, friends, hobbies, interests, and maybe even dating.
Problem #9: Co-parenting makes you anxious.
Solution: Use a co-parenting app to remove a lot of anxiety triggers.
With a co-parenting app, you might experience gentler communication, fewer stressors, and clear documentation—plus a centralized system that cuts through complexity. And then you might find yourself feeling a lot less anxiety about co-parenting.
You can’t change your co-parent into a different person. But you can protect yourself, equip yourself, and limit how much that fact stresses you out.
One simple way to make co-parenting easier
From pure convenience to conflict reduction, there are a lot of reasons to try a co-parenting app. OurFamilyWizard is the only co-parenting app to include every feature mentioned in this article.
OurFamilyWizard has a Calendar, Calls, Messages, Expenses, a Journal, an Info Bank, and of course ToneMeter. The longest-running co-parent app, OurFamilyWizard has helped co-parents for over two decades.
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