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Real Co-Parents: Meghan Kelly
Meghan K. is a divorced mom of two who says TalkingParents has given her a greater sense of peace.
Meghan Kelly has two daughters with her ex-husband. When her girls were five and two, Kelly says she realized their relationship had gone as far as it could go, and she left the marriage.
“We were together for 15 years. There were many red flags throughout the relationship. As I look back, I realize it was a very challenging relationship and there was a lot of miscommunication and poor communication.”
Kelly says those communication issues only heightened after they got divorced.
“I think we were facing absolutely every communication challenge that could exist. There was a constant back and forth, and we had no real parameters for communicating. There were phone calls, texts, emails, messages through attorneys; you name it. Things were very hostile with lots of threats and intimidation. It was a very uncomfortable, unsafe, unproductive space for communication.”
Kelly says the worst part was how it affected the kids.
“There was a total lack of consistency and routine for them because our communication was so disconnected and messy. It didn’t really help us set a good foundation at the beginning of our divorce, and that translated to the needs of our kids. Even though they were only two and five, I think they really picked up on the negative energy and the tension. At that point, I knew it was just not sustainable. There was no way we could continue communicating in that fashion.”
That’s when Kelly’s attorney recommended TalkingParents.
“I was feeling very anxious to urgently respond to everything and address everything. It was really deteriorating my mental health, so my attorney proposed TalkingParents as a solution to that. My ex and I came to an agreement that we would both sign up within a very quick period of time, and I began to look at it as more of a tool for us.”
Kelly says she started feeling a much greater sense of peace.
“I knew that it was admissible in court. I knew that there were other eyes that would bear witness to the dialog. It gave me a sense of confidence in being able to really take a beat, pause, and think about the importance of each message and not just immediately react. I felt much safer in my communication.”
Organization was another major plus for Kelly.
“All the features of the app are within one space, which makes it easy to compartmentalize and handle everything right there. Having all communications in one app was extremely comforting for me.”
Kelly says she uses Secure Messaging the most.
“We use the messaging feature to communicate about our accommodations, schedule changes, the kids' extracurricular activities, etc. At any point in time, I can search our messages for anything I need. That has been very useful for the times we have gone to court because I can use the search function to pull up specific examples of something for reference.”
The Personal Journal is one of Kelly’s favorite features.
“I find the journal to be really helpful, especially for the messages that trigger me a little bit more. One of the greatest things I’ve learned is to take a moment to pause before replying, yet oftentimes when I receive a message, I’m flooded with a number of thoughts and feelings. I have things that I want to respond with, but I’m not really in a state to form a thorough response. So, the journal section of the app is great for me to file away my notes, take a breather, and then come back and put together a well-thought-out message. That way I come off clear, concise, and less emotional.”
Kelly says TalkingParents has had a positive impact on her post-divorce life, which has helped her entire family.
“Because I’m able to regulate my responses and take a little bit more control of the communication with my ex-husband, my kids aren’t suffering like they used to. They are not affected by the tense, hostile, toxic communication patterns that once existed. And I’m remarried now, so it helps my husband too. He doesn’t have to get caught up in the stress and anxiety that I used to experience prior to using TalkingParents, which was really all consuming for me. I feel a lot more present, organized, balanced, and protected.”
Now, Kelly is a certified High-Conflict Divorce Coach, working with clients all over the country who are struggling with many of the same challenges she faced.
“It gives me great pleasure to recommend the TalkingParents app to my clients. They use it for the same reasons I do—to deescalate conflict, regulate emotions, and avoid that negative trickledown effect of stress, anxiety, frustration, and irritability on other individuals in their households, primarily their children. So, I will continue to suggest the app to my clients moving forward, and I’m very grateful that I have the chance to do that.”
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