Guardrail
Tutorial.

Open a conversation

Tap Messages in the bottom navigation. You'll see a thread list — one per family member. Tap any name to open the conversation. All messages are stored permanently with full timestamps. You can search by keyword using the 🔍 icon.

Write and send a message

Tap the compose bar at the bottom. Type your message. Before sending, Guardrail's AI Tone Coach analyzes it for tone, language, and potential legal risk — giving you a green, yellow, or red signal.

Understanding the AI Tone Coach

Green means your message is calm and appropriate. Yellow means there may be mild tension — you'll see an explanation. Red means the message carries legal risk or could escalate conflict. You'll always see a suggested rewrite. You are never blocked from sending — you're informed and given a better path.

Attachments and read receipts

Tap the paperclip icon to attach photos, receipts, or documents. When your co-parent reads a message, you'll see a ✓✓ checkmark — part of the permanent record. Unread messages are also documented, which is useful if a co-parent claims they 'didn't know.'

Message curfew

If a curfew is set (default: 9 PM – 7 AM), you'll receive a warning before sending outside those hours. This prevents harassment claims and enforces healthy communication boundaries. Configure in Settings › Communication.

Schedule an exchange

Go to Exchanges and tap + New Exchange. Enter the date, time, location, and any notes. Both parents receive a reminder notification before the exchange. Schedule at least 24 hours in advance when possible.

Check in at the exchange

When you arrive, open the exchange event and tap Check In. Guardrail uses your GPS to confirm your location and records the exact timestamp. Both parents check in independently. Your check-in is valid even if the other parent doesn't show.

Add a photo

After checking in, optionally add a photo confirming the child's presence and the handoff. This is timestamped and stored in the legal record. For high-conflict situations, photo evidence is extremely useful.

If an exchange is missed

If the other parent doesn't check in within 30 minutes of the scheduled time, Guardrail automatically logs a 'missed exchange' event. You can also manually log a 'denial of access' from the exchange details screen. These automatically add to the violation counter.

Find a Safe Exchange Zone

Tap 'Find Safe Exchange Zone' to locate nearby neutral locations — police stations, fire stations, libraries — documented as exchange locations. Some states recognize these as legally preferred sites. The location auto-fills for the exchange record.

Log child support payments

Navigate to Finances › Child Support. Log each payment with date, amount, and method (bank transfer, Zelle, check, etc.). Both parents see the same shared record. Late or missed payments are automatically flagged in both dashboards.

Submit shared expense requests

For medical bills, school fees, activity costs, or extraordinary expenses, use Shared Expenses. Submit with a description, dollar amount, and receipt photo. Your co-parent receives a notification to approve or dispute it. The entire approval chain is permanently documented.

Set reimbursement deadlines

After a shared expense is approved, set a reimbursement deadline. Guardrail sends reminders at 7 days, 3 days, and 1 day before the due date. Overdue items are automatically flagged in both dashboards.

Organize tax documents

Store child-related tax documents (W-2s, 1099s, childcare receipts, tuition statements) in the Tax Documents section — especially useful for dependent claims, child tax credits, and childcare deductions.

Export financial records

All financial records can be exported as a court-ready PDF from Legal Tools › Export Court Report. The export includes all payments, shared expenses, approvals, and reimbursement history with full timestamps and both parents' names.

The Audit Trail

Every action on Guardrail is automatically logged — messages sent, exchanges checked in, documents viewed, settings changed. This immutable audit trail is available to your attorney or the court on request.

Evidence Vault

The Evidence Vault is secure storage for screenshots, police reports, incident photos, and any other documentation you want preserved. Files are timestamped on upload and cannot be modified afterward.

Logging violations

From Legal › Violation Log, tap + Add Violation. Select the type (denied access, late exchange, communication violation, schedule deviation), add details and any attached evidence, then submit. Violations accumulate into a report your attorney can use to demonstrate patterns.

Parenting Time Tracker

Automatically calculates actual vs. court-ordered parenting time using check-in data. A persistent gap between ordered and actual time becomes documented evidence of a parenting plan violation.

Exporting a court report

From Legal Tools, tap Export Court Report. Choose a date range and select data types: messages, exchanges, finances, violations, audit log. The export generates a clean PDF formatted for court submission. Share a link directly with your attorney.

AI Co-Parenting Coach

Access the Coach from the main menu. It's a conversational AI trained on co-parenting research, communication strategies, and family law basics. Ask it anything: 'How do I respond to a message that makes me angry?', 'What is right of first refusal?', 'How do I co-parent during the holidays?'

Weekly Communication Summary

Every Sunday, Guardrail generates an AI-written summary of the week's communication patterns — trends, positive moments, areas of tension, and compliance metrics. Both parents receive the same summary for full transparency.

Custody Agreement Translator

Upload your custody order and the AI translates legal language into plain English. It identifies your key obligations, schedules, rights, and deadlines — and flags any clauses that may need attorney clarification.

Parallel Parenting Mode

For the most high-conflict situations, Parallel Parenting Mode filters every outgoing message through the AI before delivery. Messages that don't meet communication standards are held for your review before reaching your co-parent. Enable it in Settings › Communication › Parallel Parenting Mode.

Emotion Regulation Check-In

Before composing a message when you're escalated, use the Emotion Regulation Check-In (under Co-Parenting Coach). It guides you through a brief grounding exercise before you communicate — protecting both the relationship and your legal record.

Creating a child account

From Settings › Family › Add Child Account, enter your child's name and age. You'll receive a login code to share with them. Child accounts are entirely separate from the parent layer — children cannot see parent messages, legal tools, financial data, or any adult conflict.

The child dashboard

When a child logs in, they see a colorful, emoji-rich dashboard with a personalized greeting. From there they access the Mood Logger, Homework Tracker, AI Coach Sunny, Journal, Wish List, Book Library, and the Achievement Rewards system.

Mood logging

Each day, children tap an emoji to describe how they're feeling and optionally add a note. This data is visible to both parents in the Child Wellbeing section. A consistent mood log is valuable in custody evaluations.

AI Coach Sunny

Sunny is a friendly AI coach built just for kids. Children can ask Sunny about feelings, friendships, school, and living in two homes. Sunny uses age-appropriate language and never discusses adult conflict. Conversations are private to the child.

Homework tracker and book library

Kids add assignments with due dates and check them off when complete. Both parents see the tracker. The built-in library gives access to hundreds of free classic books from Project Gutenberg.

Achievement rewards

Children earn stars and badges for positive daily activities: logging their mood, completing homework, reading, and journaling. The achievement system builds healthy habits and gives kids an enjoyable reason to open the app.

Uploading a document

Go to Documents and tap + Upload Document. Select a file from your device. Documents are auto-categorized (custody orders, medical, school, financial, certificates). All uploads are timestamped and permanently stored.

Requesting acknowledgment

After uploading, send it to your co-parent with a Read & Acknowledge request. Their acknowledgment (or refusal) is time-stamped and added to the audit trail. This is useful for school permission slips, medical consent, and parenting plan modifications.

Custody Agreement Viewer

Upload your official custody order to the Custody Agreement section. Both parents can reference the same document at any time. Use the AI Translator to get a plain-language summary of key clauses, schedules, and deadlines.

Sharing with your attorney

Any document can be shared directly with your attorney through the platform. Attorneys in your family network receive a secure link — no email attachments or separate file-sharing apps needed.

Inviting your attorney

Go to Settings › Family Network › Invite Attorney. Enter their email. They'll receive an invitation to create a read-only account linked to your family case. Attorneys cannot message, modify, or delete any data — view only.

What attorneys can see

Your attorney has full read access to every message thread, exchange log with GPS data, financial records, audit trail, evidence locker, violation counter, and shared documents — in real time.

Preparing for court

Work with your attorney to identify the most relevant records before a court date. They can export targeted reports covering specific date ranges or incident types. The export is clean, timestamped, and formatted specifically for court submission.

Third-party observers

Beyond attorneys, you can invite court-appointed guardians ad litem, family counselors, or neutral observers. Each observer type has its own access level — you control exactly what they can see when setting up the invitation.

Privacy Mode and Quick Close

Privacy Mode blurs sensitive information on your screen. Enable it from Settings › Privacy. The Quick Close button instantly navigates you to Google if you need to hide the app — important for domestic safety situations.

Dark Mode

Toggle dark mode from your profile settings or by tapping the moon icon in your profile. It's saved across sessions.

Notification settings

Customize which notifications you receive: exchange reminders, message alerts, payment deadlines, compliance milestones, and weekly summaries. Configure in Settings › Notifications.

Changing your password

Go to Settings › Security › Change Password. Enter your current password, then your new one twice. Guardrail stores only a secure hash — your actual password is never stored.

Getting support

Tap the green support button (bottom-right corner on any screen) to open a ticket. Choose a category — Technical, Billing, or Account — describe your issue, and submit.

What you can see

As a Guardian, you have read access to the child's upcoming schedule, exchanges, messages sent directly to you by parents, the child's mood logs and wellbeing data, documents shared with you, and exchange records for events you're involved in.

What you cannot access

Guardians cannot see private messages between co-parents, financial records, legal tools or violation logs, the full audit trail, or the evidence vault. This protects the integrity of the legal documentation between parents and their attorneys.

Your role in the family network

You appear in the family network as a Guardian. Both parents can see you are part of the network. Either parent can message you, but you see only messages directed to you — not the parent-to-parent thread.

Guardian check-ins

When you are caring for the child during an exchange or scheduled visit, you can perform a Guardian Check-In from the exchange screen. This logs your location and timestamps your presence — important for documenting care arrangements.

Access the shared calendar

From your dashboard, tap Schedule to see the child's full calendar — which parent the child is with each day, upcoming exchange dates and times, and any scheduled activities. The calendar is updated in real time by the parents.

Upcoming exchanges

Tap any exchange event to see its full details: location, time, both parents' check-in status and timestamps, and any notes attached by the parents. If you are involved in the pickup or dropoff, you'll receive a notification 2 hours before.

School and activity schedule

Parents can add school events, medical appointments, sports practices, and activities to the shared calendar. As a guardian, you'll see all events that have been marked as visible to guardians.

Holiday and special dates

Special dates — holidays, birthdays, school breaks — are color-coded on the calendar. You can view which parent has custody during each holiday. Holiday schedules are set by the parents based on their custody order.

Sending messages to parents

Tap Messages in your navigation to open your message threads — one per parent. Type your message in the compose bar and tap Send. All messages are permanently recorded with timestamps.

AI Tone Coach for guardians

The AI Tone Coach reviews your outgoing messages before you send them. It helps ensure your communication remains child-focused and professionally appropriate — protecting both you and the family's legal record.

Message history and read receipts

You can see when parents have read your messages through the ✓✓ checkmark system. Your full message history is permanently stored. Neither you nor the parents can delete any messages.

Sending attachments

Tap the paperclip icon to attach photos, documents, or notes. For example, a photo of the child's school project, a doctor's note, or a photo confirming pickup from school. All attachments are timestamped and stored.

Viewing scheduled exchanges

From your Schedule tab, tap any exchange to see its full details. If a parent has noted you as the pickup or dropoff guardian, you'll see a Guardian Involved badge on the event.

Checking in at an exchange

When you arrive at the exchange location, open the event and tap Guardian Check-In. Guardrail records your GPS location and a timestamp — important documentation showing your presence.

Adding notes or photos

After checking in, you can add a note (e.g., 'Emma arrived with her backpack and lunch box, appeared happy') or a photo. These notes become part of the exchange record viewable by both parents and their attorneys.

If an issue arises

If a problem occurs at an exchange, tap Log Issue from the exchange screen. Describe what happened factually and submit. This is immediately visible to both parents and creates an official record in the system.

Viewing mood logs

From your dashboard, tap Child Wellbeing to see the child's recent mood logs — a timeline of emoji check-ins with any notes they added. This gives you insight into how the child is adjusting over time.

Child activity summary

The Child Wellbeing section also shows recent homework completions, reading activity, and journal entries (if the child has allowed guardians to view them). This helps you stay involved in the child's daily life even across two homes.

School and homework updates

The Homework Tracker shared by the child is visible to guardians. You can see what assignments are pending, which ones have been completed, and any upcoming tests or projects.

Reporting wellbeing concerns

If you observe something concerning about the child's wellbeing, tap Report Concern from the Child Wellbeing section. Describe what you observed factually. This creates a timestamped record visible to both parents.

Accessing shared documents

From the Documents section, you'll see files that parents have specifically shared with you — school schedules, medical consent forms, emergency contact sheets, or the child's custody schedule. Tap any document to view or download it.

Acknowledging documents

When a parent sends you a document with a Read & Acknowledge request, you'll receive a notification. Open the document, read it fully, and tap Acknowledge. This creates a timestamp showing you received and reviewed it.

School and medical records

Parents may share the child's vaccination records, school enrollment confirmation, IEP documents, or allergy information with you. These are stored in your Documents section and accessible offline once downloaded.

Requesting a document from a parent

If you need a document, send a message to the relevant parent requesting it through the platform. When they share it, you'll receive a notification. This keeps all document sharing on the record.

Privacy Mode

Enable Privacy Mode from Settings › Privacy to blur sensitive child and family information on your screen. Useful if you share a device or are in a public place. Tap any blurred area to temporarily reveal it.

Notification preferences

Customize your notification settings from Settings › Notifications. Choose which events trigger alerts: exchange reminders, new messages from parents, child wellbeing updates, and document sharing requests.

Changing your password

Go to Settings › Security › Change Password to update your credentials. Use a strong, unique password. Guardrail supports biometric login (Face ID or fingerprint) for faster, secure access after your first sign-in.

Getting support

Tap the support button (bottom-right corner) to open a support ticket. If you need to be removed from a family network, contact support — only platform staff can make this change for security reasons.

Accessing message threads

From your dashboard, tap Messages to view the full communication history between co-parents. Every message is displayed with its exact timestamp, sender name, delivery status, and read receipt.

Filtering by date and keyword

Use the search bar to find messages by keyword (e.g., 'school', 'pickup', 'medication'). Filter by date range to focus on a specific period relevant to your case. Results can be bookmarked for quick reference during preparation.

AI Tone Coach flags and risk alerts

Messages flagged by the AI Tone Coach are highlighted with their risk level (green, yellow, red). Filter to show only flagged messages, making it easy to identify communications demonstrating a pattern of hostility, harassment, or non-cooperation.

Exporting message logs

From the Messages section, tap Export to generate a PDF of the selected thread or date range. The export includes full metadata: timestamps, sender names, delivery and read receipts, and AI tone flags — formatted for court submission.

Viewing the full exchange log

Tap Exchanges to see a complete chronological log of every scheduled and completed exchange — date, time, location, both parents' check-in status and timestamps, any photos attached, and whether the exchange was completed, missed, or disputed.

GPS verification data

Each check-in includes GPS coordinates verified at the moment of check-in. You can see the exact distance between the parent's location and the scheduled exchange location — powerful evidence for disputes about whether a parent showed up.

Missed exchange events

Exchanges where one parent failed to check in are automatically logged as missed events with a clear visual indicator. The system records which parent missed, the time elapsed past the scheduled exchange, and any denial-of-access notes filed by the other parent.

Denial of access records

When a parent files a denial of access, it appears in the exchange record with full details: time, location, description, and any supporting evidence attached. These records contribute to the violation counter and can be exported as part of the court report.

Child support payment history

Tap Finances › Child Support to see every logged payment: date, amount, method, and which parent logged it. Missed or late payments are highlighted automatically. The running balance shows whether your client is current, ahead, or behind.

Shared expense records

View every shared expense request: amount, description, receipt photo, submission date, and the other parent's response (approved, disputed, or ignored). Ignored requests are noted — non-response is documented the same as refusal.

Reimbursement deadlines and compliance

Each approved shared expense with a reimbursement deadline is tracked in the compliance timeline. Overdue reimbursements are flagged automatically. The system calculates total outstanding amounts — useful for calculating arrears in court proceedings.

Exporting financial records

From Finances, tap Export to generate a PDF covering the full financial record or a specific date range. The export includes payment history, shared expenses with approval status, reimbursement compliance, and tax documents — all timestamped with both parties' names.

Evidence Vault contents

Tap Legal › Evidence Vault to see all documents, screenshots, and photos your client has preserved. Each item shows its upload timestamp. Items cannot be modified or deleted after upload. Download any item for use in court preparation.

Violation log and counter

The Violation Log shows every reported violation in chronological order: type, date, description, evidence attached, and cumulative count. Filter by violation type (denied access, communication violation, late exchange, schedule deviation) to identify patterns.

Parenting time discrepancies

The Parenting Time Tracker compares court-ordered parenting time against actual time documented by check-in data. Gaps are displayed as a chart and a running total — direct quantitative evidence of parenting plan non-compliance.

Audit trail review

The Audit Trail logs every action either party has taken on the platform — messages sent, documents viewed, settings changed, evidence uploaded. This immutable log cannot be altered by either parent and is available in full for legal proceedings.

Export Court Report tool

From Legal Tools, tap Export Court Report. This is the primary export tool for court preparation — it generates a comprehensive, professionally formatted PDF including every category of documented data from the case.

Selecting date ranges and data types

Choose a date range, then select which data types to include: messages with tone flags, exchange logs with GPS, financial records, violations, evidence vault items, parenting time analysis, and audit trail. Create targeted reports or a full case export.

PDF format for court submission

The exported PDF includes a cover page with case metadata, a table of contents, and each data section with clear headers. All entries are timestamped with UTC and local time. The format is designed to meet standard court document requirements.

Sharing reports securely

Exports can be downloaded directly or shared via a secure, time-limited link. Share with co-counsel, your client, or submit directly to court as an exhibit. Links expire after 7 days for security — regenerate as needed.

Managing multiple client cases

Each client who invites you creates a separate case file in your account. From your attorney dashboard, use the Case Switcher to navigate between clients. Cases are completely isolated — no data from one case is ever visible in another.

Notification preferences

Configure which events trigger notifications: new evidence vault uploads, new violations logged by your client, approaching court dates, and large financial discrepancies. Real-time alerts mean you stay current without logging in daily.

Removing your access

If your representation ends, ask your client to remove your access from their Family Network settings, or contact Guardrail support. Your access is deactivated immediately. All case data remains intact for your client — only your read access is revoked.

Getting platform support

Tap the support button on any screen to open a ticket. For attorneys, select 'Attorney Access' as the category. For urgent court-related data needs, note 'Urgent — Court Date' in your ticket for priority handling.

Tap how you're feeling

Open the Mood Logger from your dashboard. You'll see five emoji faces — happy, okay, sad, angry, and excited. Tap the one that matches how you feel today. That's it!

Add a note (optional)

After picking your emoji, you can write a short note about why you feel that way — like 'I had a great day at soccer practice!' or 'I miss my dog.' You don't have to write anything if you don't want to. Notes are private to you.

See your mood history

Tap Mood History to see a colorful timeline of all your past check-ins. You can scroll back and see patterns — maybe you always feel great on Fridays, or feel a little sad on Sunday nights.

Why mood logging helps

Your mood logs help your parents understand how you're doing — especially when you're moving between two homes. You're not in trouble for feeling sad or angry — those feelings are totally normal and okay to share.

Open a chat with Sunny

Tap the Sunny icon on your dashboard. You'll see a friendly chat screen with Sunny's greeting. Sunny will say hello and ask how you're doing. Just type back — Sunny reads everything and responds like a kind, helpful friend.

Ask Sunny anything

You can ask Sunny about feelings, friendships, school, living in two homes, or anything else on your mind. For example: 'Why do I feel weird switching houses?', 'How do I make new friends?', or 'I'm nervous about my test tomorrow.'

What Sunny will never do

Sunny will never talk about grown-up legal stuff or take sides between your parents — that's a promise. Sunny is only here to help you feel good and think clearly.

Your chats are private

Your conversations with Sunny belong to you. Your parents can see that you chatted (like a date and time), but they cannot read what you said. Your private thoughts stay private — Sunny is your safe space to be honest about how you feel.

Write in your journal

Tap My Journal from your dashboard. Tap + New Entry and start writing! You can write about your day, your feelings, something funny that happened, a dream you had, or anything at all. Add emojis to make it fun!

Your journal is completely private

Your journal entries belong only to you. Your parents cannot read them. Sunny cannot read them. Only you can see your journal. Write whatever you want — your honest feelings, your secrets, your stories.

Add to your Wish List

The Wish List is a fun place to write down things you'd love to have or do — birthday gift ideas, places you want to visit, things you want to learn. You can share your list with a parent so they always know what you're dreaming about!

Looking back at old entries

Scroll through your past journal entries to see how much you've grown and changed! It can be really cool to read something you wrote months ago. Your entries are saved forever.

Add a homework assignment

Tap Homework Tracker and then + Add Assignment. Type the assignment name, the subject, and the due date. Both of your parents can see your homework tracker, so they can help you from whichever home you're at.

Check off completed work

When you finish an assignment, tap the checkbox next to it. It'll move to your Completed list and you'll earn a star! 🌟 Your parents can see when you check things off, which saves you from having to tell them separately.

Browse the book library

Tap Book Library to explore hundreds of free books! There are adventure stories, fairy tales, animal books, mystery stories, and so much more. All books come from Project Gutenberg, a free library of classic stories.

Reading streaks

Every day you read in the library counts toward your reading streak. Can you read something every day this week? Your longest streak is shown on your profile. Reading earns you stars, and streaks unlock special badges. Go for it! 📖

Earning stars ⭐

You earn a star every time you: log your mood, complete a homework assignment, read a book, write in your journal, or chat with Sunny. Stars add up over time and unlock bigger rewards.

Unlocking badges 🏅

Badges are special achievements you earn for doing something really great. For example: 'Mood Master' for logging your mood 7 days in a row, 'Bookworm' for finishing your first book, and 'Super Scholar' for completing 10 assignments.

Your achievement history

Tap My Achievements to see every badge you've earned, when you earned it, and what you did to get it. You can also see your total star count and how you compare to your personal bests.

Sharing with a parent 🎉

When you earn a new badge, you can tap Share with Parent to send a notification to your mom or dad. They'll see your achievement on their dashboard and can celebrate with you across both homes!