Can I keep using Google Calendar?

Yes. Novamily exports an iCal link you can subscribe to in Google Calendar, Apple Calendar or Outlook to see everything from the app you already use.

Can kids see the calendar?

Members with the Viewer role (e.g. teens) can see the calendar without editing it. Younger kids are usually managed through a parent's profile.

What about co-parenting after a split?

A shared calendar with your co-parent is one of the most powerful uses of Novamily — every change is logged and nobody is left out of the loop.

Shared family calendar: the ultimate guide

A good shared family calendar is the backbone of an organized home. When it works, the 'you didn't tell me' arguments disappear, every adult knows who is picking up the kids, and personal plans coexist with family commitments without overlap.

What a useful family calendar must have

Not every calendar works. For a household with two adults and one or more kids, your calendar needs four minimum things: real-time sharing, per-member assignment, clear visual separation between personal and family events, and export to the apps you already use (Google or Apple).

Weekly and monthly views
Color per family member
Recurring events (clubs, pickups)
Google Calendar sync via iCal
Automatic notification reminders

What to add (and what to leave out)

Add anything that affects more than one person: doctor visits, school pickups, birthdays, trips, parent meetings. Keep private work meetings and purely personal social plans out of the family calendar.

How to actually get your partner to use it

Adoption is the hardest part. Three tactics work nearly every time: spend one week adding everything yourself, kill the old calendar so there is no duplication, and review the upcoming week together for five minutes each Sunday.

Frequently asked questions

Can I keep using Google Calendar?: Yes. Novamily exports an iCal link you can subscribe to in Google Calendar, Apple Calendar or Outlook to see everything from the app you already use.
Can kids see the calendar?: Members with the Viewer role (e.g. teens) can see the calendar without editing it. Younger kids are usually managed through a parent's profile.
What about co-parenting after a split?: A shared calendar with your co-parent is one of the most powerful uses of Novamily — every change is logged and nobody is left out of the loop.