Bunchland

New apps may lead to more smiles in the court room and beyond

As web-based help becomes increasingly available for divorcing couples, judges are now officially turning parents to online sources to manage their families post divorce. Results have shown that couples taking their issues online has allowed them to tame the emotions that threaten their families and traumatize kids.

One woman from Maryland deemed co-parenting impossible when her high conflict relationship made her divorce impossibly complicated. Kelly Collis found relief with Our Family Wizard, a resource that offers shared custody calendars and visitation schedules, expense tracking, and messaging. The tool also helps parents can stay up to date on their kids health records, school info, and immunization histories with the information bank. It has an iPhone app so you can stay organized wherever you go.  Read more...

Could a day-planner be the key to being co-operative colleagues?

Today’s Globe and Mail features an article about co-parenting after divorce and how former spouses with joint custody can work together for the sake of the kids. Sure it can be very, very tough, but Co-Parenting Works! author Tammy Daughtry says that after about two years, parents are capable of acting like a single parenting unit and are probably better at working together than they were pre-divorce.

Daughtry says the key to achieving this harmonious state is acting like “co-operative colleagues rather than foes.”

To faciliatate the co-operation, a couple in Quebec came up with the Parental Planner. France Gionet and Paul Doyon, who both have kids from previous relationships, created the planner to serve as a calendar, list of expenses, place for kid-related documents and a space to trade news about the kid.  Read more...

A niche way that some couples are getting closure

Divorce ceremonies are a thing. Whether it’s a party with friends and family, or a quiet smashing of the wedding ring, some couples in Japan are opting to mark their failed marriage with more than just a court settlement.

“Pioneer divorce planner” Hiroki Terai recently told the New York Times that since the earthquake, he receives over 200 inquiries a month. Terai chalks this up to people reassessing their priorities. In the simple ceremony that the New York Times writer observed, Terai recited the reasons for the couples’ break up, presented a hammer with which both ex-husband and ex-wife could smash the wedding ring, and had the couple write messages for the future on a lantern. Terai then released the ring and lantern into a river to float away. The ex-wife wrote: “So that our son may grow up well” while her ex-husband wrote: “Let us remain friends.”  Read more...

Because divorces don’t have to be nasty custody battles

Rockstar Jack White and his model/singer wife Karen Elson have called it quits after six years of marriage. But it’s not sad; they seem really OK with it. Here’s their statement:

“We remain dear and trusted friends and co-parents to our wonderful children Scarlett and Henry Lee. We feel so fortunate for the time we have shared and the time we will continue to spend both separately and together watching our children grow. In honor of that time shared, we are throwing a divorce party. An evening together in Nashville to re-affirm our friendship and celebrate the past and future with close friends and family.”

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