How OurFamilyWizard Made a Positive Change in Emma’s Co-Parenting
When it comes to family law, communication between separated parents can be one of the most challenging hurdles to overcome. In this article, we recount a real-life client experience that highlights how the OurFamilyWizard app can make a huge positive change to the way the parents communicate with each other.
The Problem: High-conflict communication escalated tension and legal issues
At Laker Legal Solicitors, we frequently encounter clients embroiled in difficult private children proceedings where emotions run high, and communication often breaks down. OurFamilyWizard is a co-parenting app we often recommend in these scenarios since it is designed to facilitate and improve communication between parents.
One of our clients, Emma (name changed for confidentiality purposes), came to us during a particularly stressful time. Following a bitter separation from her ex-partner, Jack, they struggled to co-parent their child effectively. Every text or email exchange seemed to escalate into an argument, with accusations flying back and forth. Emma described the communication as “toxic,” and every attempt at arranging handovers or discussing school events felt like navigating a minefield.
Matters had escalated to the point where a Non-Molestation Order had been issued and settled by way of mutual undertakings on the basis that neither party made any admissions of molestation against the other. The underlying root cause of their problems, as is so often the case, was a catastrophic breakdown in communications between them, resulting in written messages being misconstrued and generally responded to in a way which only served to escalate tensions. (Written communications tend to often be misconstrued, especially when a relationship has broken down due to a breach of trust and emotions running high.)
Emma’s concerns went beyond her own personal stress, as the ongoing conflict was starting to impact the child’s well-being and their communication with both parents. Adding to the complexity, Emma’s new partner was also navigating long-term child arrangements with his ex-partner. These arrangements were governed by an existing Child Arrangements Order issued by the Court, which made adjustments more challenging due to rigid schedules and competing priorities between the two families.
We introduced Emma to the OurFamilyWizard app, a platform specifically designed to help parents communicate in a structured, respectful, and organised manner.
What Is OurFamilyWizard?
OurFamilyWizard is more than just a messaging app; it’s a comprehensive co-parenting solution. The platform includes features like:
- Messaging with ToneMeter and first-viewed timestamps: A messaging system with a tone analyser built exclusively for co-parenting to encourage civil communication. Plus, every message captures when it was sent and first-viewed, helping to reduce arguments such as, “I never got your message!”.
- Shared Calendar and schedule change request capabilities: Parents can work on the same calendar to schedule child arrangements, school events and appointments. There’s also a special tool built for parents to request one-time changes to their parenting schedule without open-ended and conflict-prone messaging.
- Expense Tracking: Tools to log shared expenses and reimbursements, as well as to document payment statuses for each reimbursement request.
- Info Bank: A place to store important documents, such as medical records and school reports.
- Journal with GPS-Check-ins: Logs GPS proof of a parent’s presence at a specific location and time for handovers or other critical moments. Parents can also document memories or events.
- Professional Accounts: Lawyers and family law professionals can view their clients’ activity directly in the app using a special account type built for professionals. Once connected with a client, a professional can read messages between co-parents, review expense reimbursement requests, oversee the co-parenting calendar, and much more. They can also download customised reports, ensuring accountability and accuracy of their clients’ information when presented in court.
- Daily Digest Notifications: Parents can limit notifications to a once-per-day alert they can review at their convenience, reducing anxiety from a barrage of messages.
- Unalterable Records for Court Use: Messages, calendar events, and expense records can’t be edited or deleted, making them reliable and admissible in court. This enhances honesty and accountability. This tool is particularly useful in high-conflict situations because it creates a transparent and neutral environment for communication.
How OurFamilyWizard made co-parenting easier for Emma
When Emma and Jack agreed to use OurFamilyWizard as part of their interim court order, Emma was somewhat sceptical. However, after a few weeks using the app, she reported that the app had been hugely beneficial, not just for her but also for her new partner, who was now also using it with his ex-partner. Emma reported:
1. Reducing miscommunication and conflict
One of the standout features for Emma was the ToneMeter, which flags potentially inflammatory language before a message is sent. Emma recalled an instance when she was drafting a message to Jack about a missed handover. The ToneMeter highlighted that her message could be perceived as confrontational. “It made me reword it,” she explained, “and when I sent it, Jack actually replied calmly for the first time in weeks.” This simple feature allowed Emma to approach conversations more constructively, which in turn encouraged Jack to do the same.
2. Clarity around schedules
The shared calendar became a game-changer for the co-parents. Before using OurFamilyWizard, Emma and Jack had endless arguments about handovers and school events, each accusing the other of failing to inform them properly. With the shared calendar, both parents could see updates in real-time, with notifications ensuring they didn’t miss changes. Emma particularly liked the fact that any updates to the schedule were logged, creating a clear record. “There was no more he-said-she-said,” she explained. “If something was added to the calendar, it was there for both of us to see.”
3. Tracking finances transparently
Finances had always been a contentious issue between Emma and Jack. Who was paying for school supplies? Had one parent reimbursed the other for extracurricular activities? Arguments about money seemed endless. The expense tracking tool in OurFamilyWizard allowed the parties to log all expenses, upload receipts, and request reimbursements in a structured way. “It completely took the emotion out of it,” Emma noted. “I could upload a receipt, and he’d get a notification. If he didn’t respond, it was recorded. No more chasing or fighting.”
4. Creating accountability
One of the app’s most valuable features for Emma was its ability to maintain a detailed record of all communication. Messages couldn’t be deleted, and any edits were clearly marked. Emma explained how this was particularly helpful during court hearings. “When Jack claimed I wasn’t cooperating, my solicitor could show the judge our message history directly from the app. It showed I was being reasonable.” The app’s accurate, unalterable records are often ordered by the judiciary and recommended by CAFCASS and family law professionals in high-conflict cases.
Why we recommend OurFamilyWizard
At Laker Legal Solicitors, we understand that no app can magically resolve the emotional complexities of a family breakup. However, tools such as OurFamilyWizard can provide the structure and accountability needed to foster healthier communication between co-parents.
By centralising co-parenting activity and offering tools to reduce conflict and maintain accountability, the app helps shield children from unnecessary tension and anxiety.
OurFamilyWizard remains a leading co-parenting solution, recognised for its innovative contributions to family law and in our experience, it is trusted by the local Judiciary and CAFCASS. It is the only co-parenting app that has such endorsements.
