You have a custody schedule. But do you have shared values?

Your parenting plan says who has the kids on which days. It doesn't say how you'll raise them together. What matters. What you're building toward. What you both believe.

That's the gap most co-parents feel but can't name. And it's why so many small decisions turn into big conflicts.

An alignment plan fills that gap.

Create your alignment plan

Why schedules aren't enough

You agreed on 50/50. Or every other weekend. Or whatever arrangement fit your situation. The logistics are handled.

But then comes the real stuff. Screen time limits. Discipline approaches. How to handle a struggling grade. Whether to push sports or let them quit. What "being there" actually means.

Without shared values underneath, every one of these becomes a negotiation. Or worse, a battle.

What an alignment plan actually is

It's not a legal document. It's not a contract. It's a shared understanding of what you're both working toward as parents — even if you're not together anymore.

An alignment plan captures your values, your priorities, and your vision for your child's development. It gives you something to point to when decisions get hard. A foundation under the logistics.

Think of it as the "why" behind your parenting plan.

Build your alignment plan

A guided tool to clarify your parenting values, assess your child's developmental needs, and create a shared vision.

15-20 minutes · Free · Research-backed

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What research tells us

Decades of developmental psychology point to the same thing: children do better when their parents are aligned — not just on logistics, but on values and approach.

The Feinberg Coparenting Framework identifies four dimensions that predict how well co-parents work together: support, shared values, division of labor, and managing disagreement. Alignment touches all four.

And Search Institute's research on Developmental Assets shows that children thrive when they have consistent support, clear expectations, and constructive use of time — across both homes.

This isn't about being identical. It's about being intentional.

What you'll walk away with

You can complete it alone. But if your co-parent does too, you'll see exactly where your values overlap — and where a conversation might help.

When alignment matters most

Early in separation, when you're still figuring out how to parent apart. Before mediation, when you need to articulate what matters. When a child is struggling, and you need to coordinate your response.

Or just now — because you've been co-parenting for years and have never actually talked about this stuff.

There's no wrong time to get clear on what you're building together.

Create your alignment plan

This is what Clearly is built on

Alignment isn't a one-time thing. It's something you maintain — through every conversation, every decision, every disagreement.

Clearly is currently in early access. Start with the alignment plan — it's the foundation everything else builds on.

Learn more about Clearly