Doesn’t it seem like there’s an app for everything nowadays? But some may be surprised to learn that there are several apps out there on the market designed to help divorced or separated parents with co-parenting. Parenting alongside your former spouse or partner is not without challenges, so if there’s anything either of you could do to make the situation easier can be an enormous help.
Check out some of the best co-parenting and scheduling apps out there that could help make custody sharing or arranging visitation easier for you and your co-parent.
2Houses
2Houses makes it easy to organize a custody schedule, manage kids’ expenses, upload photos and notes, and exchange all necessary information, such as medical notes and school details. It also comes with a messaging service as well as a financial management system to help you keep documentation on shared expenses and account balances.
Coparently
Coparently provides a set of digital communication tools to make scheduling, communicating, tracking expenses, and sharing and updating contact details and important information easier for co-parents. It’s easy to use, and you can add your kids to the account to let them contribute to scheduling and make requests, which makes it a good choice for families with older children who want to have a say in the decision-making process.
Custody Connection
If agreeing – and sticking to – a custody schedule is a constant headache, Custody Connection could make it easier. It’s based on a central calendar with a synchronized custody schedule, and parents can make “trade requests” via the app if they need to switch custody dates. The app automatically records whether requests are accepted or denied and updates both parents’ calendars to reflect the change, which helps keep misunderstandings to a minimum.
Cozi
Cozi wasn’t specifically created with co-parents in mind, but its simple design and cool features make it one of the best free co-parenting apps. You can set up shared calendars, create to-do lists and share photos and recipes – with minimal stress. The basic version is free, making it a good first family calendar app if you want to try something out before making a financial commitment, and anyone — kids, grandparents, sitters, etc. — can access the shared calendar, get reminders, and see lists.
Parentship
Parentship as everything you need to commit to organized co-parenting: a customized dashboard to show upcoming events, reminders to ensure you never forget those events, coordinated calendars, a “smart” profile for each child, and a digital document center for things like insurance providers, birth certificates, social security numbers, and passport. You can also integrate your Google Calendar with Parentship to add already scheduled events.
Google Calendar
Google Calendar is a standard go-to for parents who love to keep things neat and organized. The app is easy to navigate and has a very pleasing look that pulls pictures and maps to make the scheduling experience even easier. Any events you discuss via email, including digital ticket receipts, flights, or hotel confirmations, will be added to your calendar for a smooth, effortless integration. You can also share events with your ex, which can make it easier for both of you to sync your parenting schedules, make changes, and keep track of big events in your kids’ lives.
