There’s an app for everything nowadays, but some may be surprised to learn that there are several applications designed to help with co-parenting. Parenting alongside your ex is not without challenges, so anything you can do to make the situation easier can be an enormous help. There are several applications out there that could make sharing custody or arranging visitation easier for you and your ex.
Whether you’re looking for something specific or are simply interested in any new tech-savvy parenting method, these apps could help your family work together more easily.
Scheduling and Info-Sharing Apps
There are a variety of calendaring and scheduling apps out there for families, with some are designed specifically for co-parents. Here are some of the most population options:
Our Family Wizard: Our Family Wizard began as a website geared towards helping parents deal with the complications that come with sharing custody or visitation. Recently, the company created an app for iPhone users that address a variety of common co-parenting issues. The main thing this app helps with is scheduling. It includes a color-coded custody calendar where you can keep track of your parenting schedule, including pick-up and drop-off times. The app also has a journal entry feature and allows parents to send and receive messages to one another. There’s also a handy storage feature that allows parents to keep track of shared expenses, child immunization records, emergency contacts, and more.
Cozi Family Organizer: While Cozi Family Organizer isn’t specifically geared towards co-parenting, it is immensely popular as a general family planner. The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Parents Magazine, and USA Today are just a few of the news sources to praise this handy digital helper. Parents can use Cozi to create a calendar with color-coordinated schedules to distinguish each child’s activities or to designate separate parenting times. You can also share this calendar with your co-parent and send reminders or agenda emails for your convenience. The app includes a to-do list section, family journal, and an area to store shopping lists and favorite recipes. Best of all, this app is free!
Fayr: Fayr is another application specifically engineered with co-parenting in mind. It has a simplistic design and includes many useful features for the practical-minded parent. The app features a shared calendar that both parents can access, complete with a geolocation log. In other words, if you are taking the kids to the beach for the day, you can check-in at your location on the app via GPS, so your co-parent knows where your children are. Parents can also message via the app and track expenses. Plus, all expense reports can be exported as time-stamped PDF for efficient record-keeping.
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.
Online Safety
Keeping tabs on your child’s screen time, online activity, and social media is a big job for any parent and can be especially challenging to manage when your child is with their other parent. Apps that provide parental controls for your child’s digital devices can help you protect your child online when they aren’t physically with you.
Qustodio: Qustodio is a parental control app that allows parents to supervise and manage their child’s electronic device. It works on several different types of devices and systems, including Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Kindle, and Nook. Parents can keep track of, and limit, screen time, and they can also see what their child did on their device at what time. The app can block inappropriate content, watch social media activity, track calls and location, and set time limits for specific apps.
Kaspersky Safe Kids: Much like Qustodio, Kaspersky Safe Kids is an app designed to help parents monitor and control their children’s digital usage. It allows for location tracking, manages screen usage time, and protects your child from exposure to inappropriate online content. As a bonus, the app also includes expert advice from psychologists that can help parents explain online security and safety to their children.
Precious Keepsakes
Artkive: Children produce a lot of artwork, and as a parent, you are probably tempted to keep every doodle and drawing they throw your way. However, these boxes of art projects can be difficult to share with your co-parent. With Artkive, you can store all your kids’ artwork digitally, or create a keepsake book. All you do is send in a box of your child’s artwork and the Artkive staff will have each piece professionally photographed for you. All photos will then be stored in the Artkive app for easy access anywhere. Plus, if you want a more concrete keepsake, you can have images printed into hardcover books.
