Family law: It’s a new journey

Co-parenting apps can smooth a transition to shared custody

On Behalf of | Jan 15, 2025 | Child Custody |

The entire family has to make abrupt adjustments when parents separate or decide to divorce. The division of parenting time between two households can create a number of different logistical challenges. The parents have to change their schedules and find effective ways of sharing information about their children. Frequently, parents try to manage the process on their own, only to end up encountering many disruptions along the way.

They may end up fighting with one another or dealing with frustrating last-minute cancellations due to communication issues. Parenting apps have become a common suggestion for those going through the adjustment period in the early stages of shared custody. Why do those who have just separated or begun sharing custody often benefit from using an app to handle parenting matters?

The app centralizes information

Parents can communicate through private messages over social media platforms. They could send text messages and emails. They might also communicate about matters in person or over the phone. Using a variety of different forms of communication can be convenient, but it may also result in confusion or one parent forgetting key information. There’s also the possibility of people manipulating the records by communicating certain things verbally and others in writing.

Consistent use of a parenting app ensures that all details about the custody arrangements, including any changes to the schedule or any conversations about major upcoming decisions, are all in one location. That makes it very easy for parents to check and validate information about their shared custody arrangements.

Written communications promote calmness

If every discussion about the children and the shared custody arrangement must go through the parenting app, the potential for conflict may decrease. People who know that there is a paper trail of everything they say are less likely to lash out or otherwise misbehave. Committing to communicating through a parenting app can also eliminate the stress that might result from immediate communications through text messages or emails. Parents can also take time to cool off by waiting before they respond.

Apps help substantiate parents’ claims

In scenarios involving allegations of misconduct or routine violations of the parenting plan, documentation is usually crucial. Parents seeking either custody enforcement or a custody modification need to convince the courts that their concerns are valid.

The records within a parenting app can show a history of canceled or shortened parenting sessions or inappropriate and aggressive language. Eventually, parents who establish a functional co-parenting relationship can transition away from a parenting app. However, during a divorce and in the first year or so afterward, the use of a co-parenting app can take a lot of the conflict out of the shared custody arrangement.

Parents who push for the right terms as they negotiate shared custody, such as using a parenting app, can potentially co-parent more effectively. Planning for the likely challenges of major family transitions can make it easier for a family to adjust to a new situation.