As a parent, it’s tricky to stay on top of the happenings in one household, let alone two. While separation is tough for many reasons, the adjustment to co-parenting is probably one of the most difficult aspects – especially if your relationship with your ex is strained.
In Australia, 46% of all divorces involve children, and it’s common for families to struggle to coordinate with one another in a way where each parent feels involved and connected with their child, especially on birthdays and holidays.
While co-parenting is no easy feat, there are now a number of great tools to help separated parents organise and synchronise their family schedules, update one another on their kid’s key milestones, and even support their kids emotionally during the separation period.
Let’s take a look at the apps that can make the co-parenting journey that little bit easier.
Momatu is a new free digital timeline app designed to connect families by providing them with their own private space to capture, sort and share life’s most precious memories with one another.
Momatu allows users to co-create beautiful timelines of their child including photos, video recordings, journal entries and other memories, ensuring that no parent misses out on these special moments. It’s an intimate platform that allows parents and other family members to instantaneously connect and communicate with each other about their child’s ‘keeper’ moments without needing to share publicly on social media.
Cost: Free
Download: Apple (android launching in May)
Parentship understands that as the modern-day family becomes more diverse, managing children’s schedules can become stressful, emotional, and complicated. But it doesn’t have to be.
Parentship provides parents with a way to make scheduling simpler. It helps parents communicate with less friction, create and share custody calendars, expenses and important documents with one another. It also gives you the ability to create profiles for each child to keep track of and share important information like essential medicines, reoccurring events or important contacts – so all the information is in one place.
Cost: $39.99 for an annual membership.
Download: Apple/Google Play
Created by Christina McGhee, well-known divorce coach and parent education, the Parenting Apart app focuses on helping parents take steps towards raising happy, confident and secure kids.
Parenting Apart provides parents with information, advice and support on common issues associated with the co-parenting journey for both the parent and child. Topics include emotional stages for parents and children, adjustment issues, parenting apart challenges, plus advice and inspiration. It’s an accessible resource to help parents and children who are struggling emotionally and need sound advice and guidance to help with decision making and what to expect.
Cost: $1.49
Download: Apple
Separation is hard for everyone, and while parents do their best to make sure their kids are comfortable and adjusting well to a separation, sometimes it’s inevitable that the experience will take a mental and emotional toll on the child. Conversely, it’s all too common for parents to neglect their own mental health in the process.
Smiling Mind is a mindfulness and meditation app offering a range of programs for both adults and children, designed to assist you in dealing with the pressure, stress and challenges of everyday life. Among other benefits, Smiling Mind’s programs are effective in helping to reduce anxiety and distress, create a sense calm and teach you how to relax and regulate your emotions. There’s something for everyone and a great exercise for both you and your kids to do together.
Cost: Free
Download: Apple/Google Play
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