Most people think of divorce as the end of a relationship – and in some ways, that’s true. But if you are a parent of minor children, chances are good that divorce isn’t the end of your relationship with your soon-to-be ex. Rather, it is likely a change from spouses to co-parents.
In California, courts begin custody proceedings with the presumption that joint custody is in the best interests of the children (in the absence of factors like abuse, drug/alcohol abuse, etc.). If joint custody is in your future, you may need to find ways to make it work, even if you have difficulty getting along with your co-parent. Thankfully, there are numerous apps to make post-divorce parenting easier and more successful.
A recent online article shared more than a dozen apps and websites families can use to simplify their lives, coordinate schedules and manage shared finances. Some of these tech tools were created specifically for divorced parents trying to co-parent. There are apps and websites to address:
- Custody schedules
- Which parent is picking up kids from which event (and when)
- Recording times and dates of custody exchanges
- Track spending of child-related costs
- Tracking child support, spousal support and other payments
- Creating and tracking parenting plans
- Rebuilding peaceful communication between co-parents
There is even an app that creates a “social media site” just for your family. It allows you to keep pictures and messages off of Facebook and other social media sites to avoid any disputes about privacy.
To be clear, joint custody is not a foregone conclusion. If there are compelling reasons to seek sole or primary custody, your attorney can help you present the strongest possible case to the court. But if you do need to adapt to life as a co-parent with your former spouse, hopefully technology like this can make things easier and more successful.
