One of the key issues divorcing parents must resolve is how they will share time and parenting responsibilities for their children once the marriage is over. Technology can get in the way of good parenting – proving a distraction that fills time and reduces the amount of conversations parents and children have- but it can also have benefits.
Parents can use certain technological tools with the other parent and others with their children. Here are some ways examples of how it can help:
To stay in contact with a child you are not with
Once you divorce, you will see less of your child because they will spend some of their time with your co-parent. The separation can be hard for both parties, but modern technology such as Facetime, Zoom and instant messaging, or even a good old-fashioned phone call can help you stay in touch.
You do need to be careful here, though. You don’t want to intrude on your child’s enjoyment of their time with your co-parent.
To help organize things with your co-parent
You, your co-parent and the children you share need to know what is going on. For example, when parents’ evening is, that school finishes early next Tuesday, or that on Friday you won’t be able to pick your child up from your co-parents at the usual time.
You can use an online calendar or parenting app to facilitate this. It can also prove handy when things between parents are not great as it can reduce the need for person-to-person communication.
Setting some boundaries around technology so it remains a help, not a hindrance, is something you may want to consider. With legal help, you can document this and other aspects of your parenting arrangements.