Best Co-Parenting in North Dakota — 10 resources

About Co-Parenting for Women

Co-parenting programs help separated and divorced mothers share custody constructively and document communication. Most states require court-ordered parent education (often called 'children first' or 'co-parenting' classes) before finalizing a divorce or custody order involving minor children — typically 4–6 hours, online or in person, costing 5–$75. Court-based mediation programs are often free or sliding-scale and certified through state mediation councils. Digital tools like OurFamilyWizard, Talking Parents, and 2Houses provide court-admissible message logs, shared calendars, and expense tracking that family judges increasingly require in high-conflict cases. This directory includes state-required classes, mediators, and co-parenting apps.

Co-Parenting in North Dakota

North Dakota district courts handle family matters across seven judicial districts. The Child Support Division operates under DHHS. Fargo, Bismarck, Grand Forks, and Minot are the largest cities. Legal Services of North Dakota and CAWS North Dakota (the statewide DV coalition) provide civil legal aid and safety services to women.

10 Resources

1. NDSU Extension — Parenting Programs — Free

NDSU Extension Service offers research-based parenting classes — Parents Forever for separating couples, Strengthening Families, and the Co-Parenting for Resilience curriculum — through county Extension offices statewide. Most ND district courts accept Parents Forever as the required parent education for divorce. Call 701-231-7881 to find your county Extension agent and class schedule.

701-231-7881 · Statewide Service · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

2. Prevent Child Abuse North Dakota — Free

Prevent Child Abuse ND at 418 E Rosser in Bismarck runs the Strengthening Families ND home-visiting program, in-school protective behavior curriculum, and the Period of PURPLE Crying education for new mothers. Call 701-223-9052 Mon-Fri to learn about their parent helpline and find local Family Resource Center referrals. All services are free.

701-223-9052 · 418 E Rosser Ave Suite 240, Bismarck, ND 58501 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

3. Our Family Wizard — Free

Our Family Wizard is the most widely accepted co-parenting app in ND family courts. Subscription required (currently around

44/year per parent; fee waivers available for low-income mothers through ProBono Net). Features include a tone-monitoring ToneMeter, expense ledger that auto-calculates reimbursements, and an unalterable message archive that judges accept as evidence.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

4. TalkingParents — Free

TalkingParents offers a free tier with unalterable text messaging plus paid tiers adding video calls, document storage, and Accountable Payments. The web-based archive cannot be edited or deleted by either parent, making it useful when an ND mother needs evidence of harassment, threats, or schedule manipulation for a contempt motion.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

5. AppClose — Free

AppClose is a free-forever co-parenting app with shared calendar, secure messaging, parenting plan storage, and expense splitting. Lower friction for ND families with limited budgets than OurFamilyWizard or TalkingParents. The Stripe-integrated payment tool tracks reimbursements; the calendar supports recurring custody schedules with override dates for holidays.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

6. 2houses — Free

2houses is a Belgian-origin co-parenting platform with strong calendar and medical-records features. Mothers managing children with chronic conditions or multiple specialists appreciate the centralized medical journal accessible to both parents. Subscription required after trial (about

3/month). Hosted in EU under GDPR protections.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

7. Coparenter — Free

Coparenter pairs a co-parenting app with on-demand professional mediators reachable through the app for real-time conflict resolution. Useful for high-conflict ND co-parents who cannot wait weeks for a court mediator. Monthly subscription required; some employers' EAPs cover the cost. Mediators are licensed in CA but ND courts have accepted their written agreements.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

8. Up to Parents — Free

Up to Parents is a free online co-parenting course developed by Judge David Levy. The 30-minute program helps separating parents articulate their highest hopes for their children and identify the behaviors that get in the way. Several ND family court judges accept the completion certificate as evidence of good-faith parenting effort in custody proceedings.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

9. Cozi Family Organizer — Free

Cozi is a free shared family calendar, grocery list, and reminder app — not designed for high-conflict co-parents but well-suited to mothers in cooperative co-parenting arrangements who simply need a shared schedule. Premium tier (

0/year) removes ads and adds birthday tracking. Works across iOS, Android, and web; integrates with Google Calendar.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

10. Custody X Change — Free

Custody X Change is custody-schedule software that mothers use to draft court-ready parenting plans showing each parent's overnight percentage, holiday rotations, and special-circumstance protocols. The output is a polished PDF many ND family judges find easier to evaluate than handwritten schedules. One-time purchase or month-to-month subscription.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

Frequently Asked

How many co-parenting resources are in North Dakota?
Women's Corner tracks 10 co-parenting resources for women in North Dakota.
Are co-parenting resources in North Dakota free?
10 of the 10 listed co-parenting resources in North Dakota are explicitly free or low-cost.
Which cities in North Dakota have co-parenting resources?
Listings span cities including Bismarck.
What are some examples of co-parenting resources in North Dakota?
Featured entries include NDSU Extension — Parenting Programs, Prevent Child Abuse North Dakota, Our Family Wizard, TalkingParents, AppClose.
Do these listings include phone numbers?
2 of 10 North Dakota co-parenting listings include phone numbers.
Is a parenting class required for divorce?
In most states, yes — a 4–6 hour court-approved co-parenting class (5–$75, often online) is required before any divorce or custody order involving minor children is finalized. Check your state court's approved provider list. The class is gender-neutral and focuses on protecting kids from conflict.
What's mediation and do I have to do it?
Mediation is a confidential negotiation with a neutral third party to agree on a parenting plan. Most states require at least one mediation session before contested custody hearings. It's faster, cheaper, and less traumatic than litigation. If there's domestic violence history, you can request to opt out or have separate-room mediation.
Which co-parenting app should I use?
OurFamilyWizard, Talking Parents, and 2Houses are accepted as evidence in court in most US jurisdictions. They provide tamper-proof message logs, shared calendars, expense tracking, and a tone-monitoring feature. If your ex is abusive or harassing, these apps create a documented record judges will read.
How do I co-parent with someone who was abusive?
Use parallel parenting instead of cooperative co-parenting — minimize contact, use a court-monitored app for all communication, exchange the child at a neutral location or police station, and stick strictly to the written parenting plan. Document everything. Many states allow supervised exchanges through Safe Exchange programs at no cost.