The CoFam library
A little help with the details.
Look up a schedule pattern, work through an upcoming holiday, or find questions to ask about the words in your plan. Start with the part of the week you are trying to figure out.
Glossary
Terms you may come across.
Short explanations and questions to help you read your own documents and ask for the advice you need.
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Right of first refusal
Questions to check when your plan addresses offering care time to the other parent.
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Custodial parent
Why the meaning depends on the document or question in front of you.
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Parenting plan
The dates, responsibilities, and decisions to put in writing.
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What is co-parenting
How parents share the practical work of raising their kids.
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Joint legal custody
Questions about shared decisions and the wording of your plan.
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Parallel parenting
Planning clear routines when parents need more distance.
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Joint physical custody
Making sense of the schedule and where the kids stay.
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Nesting arrangement
When the kids stay in one home and the parents take turns there.
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Parenting time percentage
What to check before relying on a count of days, nights, or hours.
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Joint custody
Separating questions about time from questions about decisions.
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Co-parenting vs parallel parenting
Different ways to arrange communication and everyday decisions.
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Visitation vs parenting time
Reading the terms in your own agreement.
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Exchange and handoff
The time, place, and details to settle before a handoff.
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Sole custody
Understanding what your documents say about time and decisions.
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Step-parent role
Agreeing on practical responsibilities and access to family information.
Schedules
Look at a few schedule patterns.
See how the days fit together, then consider school, travel, work, and handoff times.
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2-2-3 schedule
A two-week example with short blocks and alternating weekends.
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50/50 custody
Ways to divide time evenly, and questions to ask about the week.
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5-2-2-5 schedule
Fixed weekdays with alternating long weekends in a two-week pattern.
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3-4-4-3 schedule
A repeating pattern of three- and four-day blocks.
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Alternating weeks
One week with each parent, with a regular handoff day.
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Every other weekend
Planning the alternating weekends and the time between them.
Situations
Plan for the dates that are different.
Holidays, school breaks, birthdays, and other dates that need a separate conversation.
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Holidays
Pick the dates, handoff times, and years before the holiday arrives.
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Summer schedule
School breaks, travel, camps, and the week you return.
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Thanksgiving
Work through the holiday dates and travel details together.
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Winter break
Make the school break, celebrations, and handoffs clear.
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Newborns
Practical questions to bring to your child’s care team and each other.
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Blended families
Coordinate the different schedules and people in your household.
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Communication
Keep a request clear and agree on how to respond.
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Birthdays
Plan celebrations, gifts, and time with each parent.
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First day of school
Check the school date, pickup arrangements, and what needs to go along.
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After divorce
Build a routine and decide when to review it.
Families
Make room for your family’s routine.
Ideas for coordinating with the people involved in your children’s lives.
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Military families
Planning ahead for time away, moves, and a return home.
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Blended families
Keep each child’s plans clear across the people involved.
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Same-sex co-parents
Organize the schedule and family information around your own roles.
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Grandparent caregivers
Make regular help, contact details, and pickup plans easy to find.
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Long-distance co-parents
Put travel time and the school calendar alongside visits.
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Single-parent households
Coordinate with the people who help during the week.
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Recently separated
Start with the next few dates and the details both homes need.
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Nesting families
Plan the parents’ rotation and responsibilities in the shared home.
Compare
Compare the apps you are considering.
Published features and subscription details, with links to the services themselves.
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CoFam vs OurFamilyWizard
Compare the everyday calendar and expense tasks, the communication tools, and the cost of access for both parents.
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CoFam vs TalkingParents
Look at the communication and record features you use, then compare schedules, shared expenses, and the total subscription cost.
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CoFam vs AppClose
Compare current subscriptions, expense handling, and the way each app keeps a family’s schedule and requests together.
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CoFam vs 2Houses
Both apps offer family subscriptions. Compare how you want to handle the calendar, shared costs, and family updates.
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CoFam vs Cozi
A family organizer and a co-parenting app can help with different parts of the week. Start with what you need to keep together.
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CoFam vs FamCal
Compare the household tasks you want to share with the schedule and expense details you need across two homes.
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CoFam vs TimeTree
Compare a shared event calendar with CoFam’s care schedules and shared expense workflow.
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CoFam vs WeParent
Both apps use family subscriptions. Compare the access, schedule, and expense tools your family will use.
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CoFam vs coParenter
Compare practical coordination tools and consider whether access to mediation is part of what you need.
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CoFam vs Our Days
Compare the schedule you want to manage, the people you want to include, and whether you also need shared expenses.
Alternatives
Thinking about switching apps?
Decide what you want to keep, what needs to change, and which tasks to try in another app.
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OurFamilyWizard alternatives
Compare the everyday calendar and expense tasks, the communication tools, and the cost of access for both parents.
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AppClose alternatives
Compare current subscriptions, expense handling, and the way each app keeps a family’s schedule and requests together.
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TalkingParents alternatives
Look at the communication and record features you use, then compare schedules, shared expenses, and the total subscription cost.
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Our Days alternatives
Compare the schedule you want to manage, the people you want to include, and whether you also need shared expenses.
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Cozi alternatives
A family organizer and a co-parenting app can help with different parts of the week. Start with what you need to keep together.