Thursday, September 16, 2010

Technology Helps Parents

by: Carole L. Chiamp

Sad to say some parents have a hard time communicating during and after divorce. Should ability to speak with one another prove to be problematic there are tools that can promote greater harmony in the two households with children.

Many judges are insisting that parents use online sites to be sure that the court’s orders are being followed. Sites such as OurFamilyWizard.com can help parents keep tabs of schedules, information regarding medical appointments, the children’s various events, expenses and offers a message board. There can be no mistaking what was and was not communicated. It also has a color-coded calendar making it easy to see which days each of the parents have parenting time. Scheduling conflicts are picked up by the software and called to the attention of the users.

There are other sites which offer some of the same or similar features: ParentingTime.net, CustodyPlanner.com and JointParents.com are some. Most of these programs cost between $99 and $400 with most of them closer to $99.

There are other technical tools that can assist parents when one parent must move away or travel. Webcams allow children to speak with an absent parent and may reduce separation anxiety in some children. It allows parent and child to see one another and have a “virtual” visit.

These tools can of course be used by parents in an amicable divorce setting to help them stay organized and attuned to their children’s needs.