Relationships break down for many reasons and unfortunately, it is not always on good terms. However, being able to amicably co-parent with your ex-partner is very important for children and family dynamic. Having potentially lost the stability of having a close family unit, it is important that children see their parents communicating and working towards advancing the children’s best interests.
Traditionally, co-parenting has been difficult and communication breakdowns are common. However, with the development of smartphones and new apps there are now several options to assist those endeavouring to co-parent in the 21st century.
What are co-parenting apps?
A co-parenting app is an application that you are able to download onto your phone or tablet which aims to provide easy communication regarding the well-being and needs of your children. They have in-built features such as calendars and schedules, as well as access to important medical information about the child/children. They may also have features that track shared expenses and payments, or reminders and alarms to help both parents keep up with the designated schedule.
What are the benefits of co-parenting apps?
Co-parenting apps seek to bring a sense of organisation and peace to what can be a very overwhelming and difficult process. Co-parenting involves a large number of considerations including schedules, appointments, expenses, exchange places/times, health concerns of the children, special occasions such as birthdays and holidays, and so much more.
Both parents being able to access all of this information in one place will bring more organisation and clarity to the co-parenting situation. Being able to coordinate both the big things, such as birthdays and sleeping arrangements, as well as the smaller things, such as school events and excursions, in one application may help to soften some of the difficulties of co-parenting.
Co-parenting apps may also be successful in minimising conflict that may arise if the parents were to privately text one another or speak through a third-party. By encouraging parents to resolve smaller issues regarding the children between themselves and through an app, there may be less disagreement and less interactions with the court. This is also likely to have a flow-on effect and positively impact the psychological well-being of the child.
Examples of co-parenting apps
SharedCare
This app contains features such as a shared calendar, care arrangements (including requests to swap days), an expenses recorder (including reimbursement requests), and a group news feed where other carers including grandparents, nannies and aunts and uncles can keep updated on important milestones and news.
Parentship
Parentship utilises features including custom calendaring, digital documents, reminders, and a smart profile that contains everything about the child in one place.
Cozi
Cozi is a free app with a hassle-free family calendar and other features such as being able to create to-do lists and even share recipes where children may have allergies or dietary requirements.
Our Family Wizard A popular app used globally with a great deal of options and functions, designed from the ground up for difficult situations in which the Family Court is involved. This app can also give children a controlled level of access to information, as well as third parties and legal practitioners, where relevant.
We note that this is just a small sample of the various applications on offer.
Are there any concerns?
Some co-parenting apps may require a small payment or a subscription fee. Also, co-parenting apps will only be successful if the parents are able to set aside their personal conflicts in order to put the children’s interests at their very highest concern. Co-parenting apps may not be appropriate in all cases.
Unfortunately, these apps will not resolve all disputes that may arise in parenting matters; however, they allow for effective communication and synchronised scheduling which aims to benefit the children in the long term. Our lawyers can advise whether a co-parenting app is the right fit for your matter.
If you have concerns regarding a Parenting Matter, please contact Carter Dickens Lawyers on (08) 9408 5212 and we will endeavour to provide you with comprehensive legal advice to assist in your matter.
Please note that the above is general information and should not be relied upon as legal advice. All situations are different and legal advice must always be tailored to the specific situation.