Apps that make co-parenting easier

Keeping your kids’ schedules straight when you’re married can be a challenge. When you and your spouse separate, things get 10 times more complicated. Now, you’ve got to split custody schedules, children’s school and activities, school and medical information, shopping and expenses all while dealing with the emotions of divorce.

Here’s the first tip you’ll need when adjusting to life as a divorced co-parent: get organized. With today’s technology, there are plenty of apps you and your ex can download to help keep your lives in order.

Google Calendar – Free – Many people already use Google Calendar for keeping appointments. Created through your email, you also have access to Google Documents, where you can store notes, medical information and school forms for your kids in a shared folder. With Google Calendar, you can create personal calendars, shared ones and calendars specific to work and your kids.

Parentship – $3.99/month – This app can work alongside Google Calendar to use your current schedule. Parentship creates a dashboard of events, reminders, a profile for each child and a document center for you and your ex to share.

Cozi – Free – Created as a general housekeeping tool, Cozi is a great choice for you, your ex and your kids to download. There, everyone can add to and check off to-do lists, shopping, schedules, share pictures and recipes.

Weparent – Weparent was founded by a doctor in psychology and created to take the stress out of co-parenting. It provides calendars for appointments and custody schedules, places for documents and expenses, and even messaging.

OurFamilyWizard – This app is a great option for parents who may want to add a third party involved. You can add professional accounts, like your mediator or therapist. This communication app helps you keep your cool by supplying a ToneMeter. It’s a great way to centralize your communication during the divorce process and log all exchanges for your lawyers.

Coparently – $9.99/month – Coparently allows you to communicate directly with your ex, schedule, track expenses and share important information in one place. Your kids can join to add to the schedule or make requests, which is great for teens.

Custody Connection – Free – Specifically created to make managing your custody schedule easier, Custody Connection gives you and your ex a combined schedule, keeps records of everything done on the app and lets you make requests for schedule changes.

Keeping your shared schedules and information straight can help the divorce process go smoothly, avoids unnecessary confusion and frustration, and creates stability for your children.