Co-parenting can be difficult at the best of times. When you are separated and no longer have the daily contact that comes with living together, it becomes even harder to coordinate busy schedules and keep everyone informed about the latest events in the children’s lives. It can also be hard to manage finances, such as paying half of the children’s sports uniforms and registration fees for soccer next term.
Many of our clients find benefits in using a parenting-focused communication app. There are a number of communication apps out there in the market and today, we shed light on the most popular apps.
Talking Parents
Talking Parents, as the name suggests, is a good option for a parenting communication app.
The free version of the Talking Parents app can be accessed on their website only. Talking Parents allows you to send and receive messages and create shared calendar events.
The paid subscription services have more features, including recorded video calls (phone calls can only occur in the US), access to call transcripts and recordings and sharing and storing documents in the app.
It is worth noting, as Talking Parents is US-based, some features are not available in Australia (such as recorded voice calls and payment features). Talking Parents does not allow you to add a third party to view your account (and communications).
Current pricing: free, $9.99/month or $24.99 per month
What stands out: there is a free version, if you only want the standard features
For more information, visit: https://talkingparents.com/home
Our Family Wizard
Also created in the US, OurFamilyWizard has a number of great features, including:
a shared calendar;
message board;
journal (where you can share photos or documents);
an expense log (which allows you to attach receipts); and
an ‘info bank’ to store emergency contacts, vaccination records etc.
OurFamilyWizard is a paid subscription, which allows you to add third party accounts (such as including additional parents, grandparents and extended family members). Third parties are then able to access the family calendar and receive updates.
OurFamilyWizard also has a feature which allows your lawyer or mental health practitioner to ‘view’ your account as you would, meaning they can keep abreast of the issues you are experiencing and assist you in managing any conflict.
Current pricing: $154 for a 12-month subscription ($12.8/month) or $270 for a 2-year subscription ($11.25/month), 30-day ‘money back guarantee’ offered
What stands out: this app has a number of great features, including ‘ToneMeter’ which identifies potentially emotionally charged comments which are worth thinking about before you send
For more information, see: https://www.ourfamilywizard.com.au/
2houses
Created in Europe, 2houses has an interactive calendar (which allows you to initiate a schedule change request, and the other parent can offer an alternate date for make-up time). The 2houses app synchronises with your usual calendar (i.e. iCal, Outlook or Google).
You can also manage your expenses on 2houses and communicate with the other parent. 2houses offers an information bank, with document storage and a summary of your child’s information (such as clothing size, useful contact details and more).
You can also request access for your lawyer so they can view your account, including schedules and communication.
Current pricing: $159 for a 12-month subscription ($13.25 per month), free 14-day trial
For more information, see: https://www.2houses.com/en
AppClose
AppClose has a shared calendar which also has ‘request’ features to manage any make-up time. There is a messaging feature which allows you to see whether your message has been viewed and when. There is an audio and video call feature (which can be disabled). You can send requests with documentation, such as a receipt. You can also export records if you need to share documents or records with yourself (or your lawyer).
Current pricing: free
For more information, see: https://appclose.com/
Other parenting apps available
There are a number of other parenting apps out there. Some include:
Ø Cozi (a free app with a calendar + shared lists/notes, in-app purchases available)
Ø FamCal (another free app with a calendar + shared lists/notes); and
Ø WeParent (a paid subscription app with calendar and messaging features)
Whether you are engaged in a family law matter and need advice about which parenting app is most suitable for your circumstances, or if you need advice on negotiating arrangements with your former spouse, contact Robinson + McGuinness to make an appointment on (02) 6225 7040 or by email on info@rmfamilylaw.com.au or get started now online with one of our experienced lawyers.
Author: Anika Buckley