Co-parenting, on neutral ground
One shared space between two homes, with a clear record of what each parent does.
Built for two households that don't share a roof
Most family apps assume one home. Co-parenting needs something different: a space that belongs to both parents equally, where the custody schedule, the receipts, and the kids' paperwork live in one shared place. Swaps and destructive space or membership changes use two-parent approval; other changes are attributed and recorded.
A co-parenting space on Chickadee Bandit sits between your two households. Each parent keeps their own private household — chores, groceries, their own calendar — and the space holds only what you co-manage. Your new partner never sees the other home; the other home never sees yours.
Custody schedule
2-2-3, week-on/week-off, alternating weekends, or your own pattern. Today's handoffs show up on both parents' calendars and phones, and holiday trades go through the same countersigned swap — recorded, not remembered.
Countersigned swaps
A swap is a proposal until the other parent approves it — then it's locked, and it lands on the calendar on its own. Any other change to the rotation notifies the other parent and is recorded with who made it and when.
Shared expenses
Log a cost with a photo of the receipt, split it evenly, by exact amounts, or by the percentages you've saved per category, and request reimbursement through the same two-party approval. A running settle-up balance keeps score so nobody has to.
Family records
The custody agreement, insurance cards, consent forms, sizes, allergies, doctors, school contacts — one shared vault for the adults who currently have access to the space.
Messages that stand up later
Sent messages cannot be edited or deleted. Timestamps on send and on the other parent's first view are set by the server and appear in the record. The custody record, your messages with the other parent, schedule history, swaps and handoff notes open as one stamped document you can download as a PDF, under the space's configured retention settings. Either parent can also take a verified copy: the PDF carries an ID and a QR code, and anyone it's handed to can confirm at chickadeebandit.com/verify that the file is the one issued, unchanged, for seven years.
Equal stewardship, structurally
Both parents are equal stewards. Deleting the space, removing a member, or demoting the other parent requires the other household's approval. Once both households have joined, installing or removing an app, suspending one, and shortening how long records are kept all need both parents to approve — and removing a record app archives it rather than deleting its records. App updates and security fixes continue to arrive automatically.
What it costs
Co-parenting spaces are included in every paid plan — there's no separate per-parent subscription. One parent sponsors the space from their plan (from $6/mo), and the other parent joins free. Compare that with dedicated co-parenting tools that charge each parent their own yearly fee. See how we stack up against OurFamilyWizard and TalkingParents, or see every co-parenting app we'd consider, compared by what each is for.
Getting started
Create a space, choose Co-parenting, and send the other parent a private join link. Setup then attempts to install the custody schedule, shared expenses, family records, and a shared calendar and shows anything that still needs attention.
Co-parenting resources
Tools help with logistics; they don't replace learning how to co-parent. These are independent organizations, not part of Chickadee Bandit.
2 Families Now — Co-Parenting Course for Divorcing and Separating Parents. Online, self-paced parent education course for parents experiencing divorce, separation, custody, or other family court matters.
Less friction. Better records. Calmer kids.
30-day free trial. One plan covers the space — the other parent joins free.
Start a free trial