Using Apps to Reduce Conflict in Your Custody Case
by David Hudson and Daniel Fox
Child custody cases are often the most emotionally charged and contentious family law matters, particularly when ongoing disputes between parents create a high-conflict environment. Disagreements between parents run the gamut, from the child’s bedtime to screen-time. The matters on which parents may disagree are seemingly endless. When conflict between parents is open and ongoing, it can create a toxic environment that can negatively impact a child’s emotional and psychological well-being. Hostile and emotionally driven communications are one of the catalysts behind ongoing parental conflict.
Co-Parenting Communication Tools
The good news is that there are apps available that are specifically designed to help reduce conflict between parents who live separately or are divorcing. These apps generally work by providing a framework that promotes efficient and calm communications and a structured sharing of information.
One of the most widely used and recommended apps is OurFamilyWizard Co-Parent App. In Buncombe County, it is common for Family Court judges to order parents involved in high-conflict custody cases to use OurFamilyWizard as a court-mandated co-parenting or parallel parenting communication tool.
About OurFamilyWizard Co-Parent App
One of the prime features of OurFamilyWizard is the message board that includes an AI powered “tone moderator” which helps identify message content that is potentially confrontational or hostile. The tone moderator offers instant, constructive rewrites (which users can accept or decline) to promote neutral and respectful communication. The message log securely stores communications between the parents that cannot be edited or changed. If a message log needs to be submitted to the court as evidence (which sometimes happens), this assures that the communications have not been modified and the context has been preserved.
Other key features of OurFamilyWizard Co-Parent App include:
A shared calendar that both parents can access to manage the child’s schedule, medical appointments, and activities.
An expense log that allows parents to log the child’s shared expenses. Parents can also request reimbursements from each other and make secure payments within the app.
The app also features GPS/location-based options to encourage adherence to schedule. This can also reduce disputes about timeliness or attendance.
Getting Set Up
OurFamilyWizard requires an annual subscription fee, but a fee waiver program is available to eligible users.
Apple App Store: OurFamilyWizard Co-Parent App
Google Play: OurFamilyWizard Co-Parent App
Other Co-Parenting Apps
Other apps and programs to consider are Talking Parents and AppClose. AppClose may be appealing to parents who are on a budget because it is available at no cost, while Talking Parents has a free basic plan and standard and premium plans. There are other apps available that are worth considering depending on your needs. However, some family related apps focus more on organization and convenience rather than reducing conflict.
Key Takeaways
Technology won’t solve all co-parenting problems, but it can provide a structured forum for parents to communicate more clearly and respectfully in order to keep the child’s needs at the center of their interactions. If you are a parent, guardian, or grandparent with a child custody related dispute, the family law attorneys at Siemens Family Law Group are here to help. Through years of dedication and practice, Siemens Family Law Group has earned a reputation as one of the preeminent family law firms in Western North Carolina. With learned experience in negotiation, mediation, and trial advocacy, you can count on our attorneys to protect your rights and your child’s well-being at every stage of the process.
Siemens Family Law Group provides family-law related legal services to clients in Asheville and throughout Western North Carolina. Our knowledgeable and experienced attorneys have decades of combined family law experience. We are available to assist you with all aspects of your divorce, including family financial matters that involve establishing or modifying child support, high-income child support, and/or cases with factors that support deviation from the child support guidelines.
DISCLAIMER: This article is for information purposes only and should not be relied on or substituted as legal advice. The information in this article is based on North Carolina state laws in effect at the time of posting.