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Why do many divorcing parents use special apps to communicate?

On Behalf of | Nov 14, 2023 | Family Law

Divorce forces parents to accept a lot of compromises and changes. Some of them are more dramatic than others. One parent will likely move out of the marital home, and both parents have to adjust to spending less time with the children. The way that parents interact with one another will inevitably change as their relationship does.

Oftentimes, custody exchanges become fraught with tension. Face-to-face communication may lead to arguments that upset the children and destabilize the co-parenting relationship. One of the tools adults now use to reduce the challenges inspired by shared parenting responsibilities is parenting apps. There is an assortment of different apps that adults may use to help regulate their co-parenting relationships and maintain their custody arrangements.

Written communication reduces conflict

Emotions tend to spill over when parents communicate verbally or face-to-face with one another during a divorce or as they adjust to shared custody arrangements. Even attempts to communicate in writing can become very accusatory or abusive if people use the systems they have always employed for communication, such as social media platforms or text messages. Using a parenting app to communicate serves as a constant reminder that whatever people say will be preserved and possibly viewed by others. That can lead to parents putting their best foot forward and communicating in a more professional manner.

Everything is in one place

Most parenting apps allow adults to input details about custody arrangements and the family’s schedule into the app interface. That way, everyone can see the exact same information about school conferences, athletic events and other family obligations. When there are changes to the schedule, those will also all be in one centralized location. A parent won’t have to worry about a text message agreement that changes the online schedule they maintain for their family. Any adjustments will be in one location as well as the communications that led to those changes.

Particularly in scenarios where one parent lacks organizational skills or may intentionally try to confuse the other, the parenting app can reduce the likelihood of oversights and mistakes that affect the care and support the children receive. Parenting apps are useful in an assortment of situations, including high-conflict scenarios in which parents must find a way to cooperate for the benefit of their children. Ultimately, using the right tools can make co-parenting less stressful for the entire family.