Skip to main content

Adding Family Members

Invite family members to access and contribute to your FamilyCast hub. Give everyone appropriate permissions to manage calendars, photos, and displays.

Overview​

Adding family members allows them to:

  • View family calendars and schedules
  • Add events to shared calendars
  • Contribute photos to shared albums
  • Send family messages
  • View displays (age-appropriate)
  • Manage their own schedules (teens)

Who Can Add Members: Account owners and family admins

Adding a Family Member​

Step-by-Step​

  1. Go to Family → Members
  2. Click Add Family Member
  3. Enter information:
    • Name
    • Email (optional for young kids)
    • Role (Parent, Teen, Child)
    • Age (for kids)
    • Color (for calendar color-coding)
  4. Click Send Invitation (for email) or Create (for young kids)

Family Member Types​

Parent/Guardian:

  • Full access to dashboard
  • Manage calendars, displays, content
  • Invite other family members
  • Billing and account management

Teen (13-17):

  • View family calendar
  • Manage personal calendar
  • Add/edit own events
  • View family photos
  • Send messages
  • Limited administrative access

Child (under 13):

  • View personal schedule
  • Kid-safe displays only
  • No direct dashboard access
  • Parents manage their account
  • Simplified permissions

Extended Family (Optional):

  • View-only calendar access
  • See family photos
  • Receive updates
  • No editing permissions
  • Example: Grandparents

Invitation Process​

For Users with Email​

Email Invitation:

  1. Family member receives email
  2. Clicks "Accept Invitation"
  3. Creates FamilyCast account or signs in
  4. Joins your family hub
  5. Access granted based on role

Invitation Expires: 7 days (can resend)

For Young Children​

No Email Needed:

  • Parent creates profile for child
  • No separate login required
  • Appears on family calendar
  • Gets personalized display content
  • Parent manages on their behalf

Managing Family Members​

Viewing Family Members​

Family Directory:

  • See all family members
  • Role and permissions
  • Last active
  • Associated displays
  • Calendar color

Editing Members​

Update Information:

  • Change name or email
  • Update age (kids grow up!)
  • Modify role/permissions
  • Change calendar color
  • Adjust access level

Age Transitions:

  • Child turns 13 → Offer teen account
  • Teen turns 18 → Upgrade to adult permissions
  • Automatic notifications when birthdays approach

Removing Members​

When to Remove:

  • Family member moves out
  • Divorce/separation (see Co-Parenting below)
  • Temporary guest access ended
  • Account consolidation

What Happens:

  • Member loses access immediately
  • Their calendar events remain (marked as "Former Member")
  • Photos they added remain
  • Displays they managed become unassigned
  • Can re-invite later if needed

Permissions and Roles​

Parent Permissions​

Full Access:

  • ✅ View and edit all calendars
  • ✅ Manage displays and layouts
  • ✅ Upload and manage photos
  • ✅ Send messages to all displays
  • ✅ Add/remove family members
  • ✅ Manage billing and subscription
  • ✅ Access all features

Teen Permissions​

Limited Access:

  • ✅ View family calendar
  • ✅ Add events to personal calendar
  • ✅ View family photos
  • ✅ Send messages (parent-approved displays)
  • ✅ Manage own schedule
  • ❌ Edit other family members' events
  • ❌ Manage displays
  • ❌ Add/remove family members
  • ❌ Access billing

Parent Approval:

  • Can require approval for teen's calendar additions
  • Optional message moderation
  • Display access control

Child Permissions​

View-Only + Personal:

  • ✅ View personal schedule on display
  • ✅ See age-appropriate family content
  • ✅ Check off chores (if enabled)
  • ❌ Dashboard access
  • ❌ Calendar editing
  • ❌ Photo management
  • Parents manage everything for them

Special Situations​

Co-Parenting Setup​

Divorced/Separated Parents:

Option 1: Shared Family Hub

  • Both parents have parent-level access
  • Shared calendar for kids' events
  • Both can manage displays in their homes
  • Custody schedule clearly marked
  • Everyone sees same information

Option 2: Separate Accounts with Shared Calendar

  • Each parent has own FamilyCast account
  • Share kids' calendar via iCal link
  • Each manages own displays
  • Updates sync between accounts
  • Maintains privacy

Best Practices:

  • Keep kids' schedules in shared calendar
  • Mark custody/visitation clearly
  • Use neutral language in events
  • Both homes have displays with same calendar
  • Kids always know where they should be

Multi-Generational Homes​

Grandparents Living with Family:

Setup:

  • Add as "Extended Family" or "Grandparent" role
  • Custom permissions (between parent and view-only)
  • Their own display in their room/area
  • Access to family calendar
  • Ability to add their own events

Permissions:

  • View family calendar
  • Add own appointments
  • See family photos
  • View messages
  • Cannot manage billing or displays

Temporary Guests​

Visiting Family:

  • Create temporary guest account
  • Limited access (photos, calendar view only)
  • Set expiration date (auto-removes after visit)
  • No sensitive family information
  • Example: Visiting aunt for 2 weeks

Family Member Settings​

Personal Preferences​

Each family member can set:

  • Display name
  • Profile photo
  • Calendar color
  • Notification preferences
  • Default calendar view
  • Privacy settings

Calendar Colors​

Why Colors Matter:

  • Quick visual identification
  • Kids recognize their color
  • Conflict detection easier
  • Family planning simplified

Assigning Colors:

  • Auto-assigned on creation
  • Can customize anytime
  • Consistent across all displays
  • Used in calendar, schedules, messages

Example Color Scheme:

  • Mom: Blue
  • Dad: Green
  • Emma: Pink
  • Jack: Orange
  • Grandma: Purple

Best Practices​

Start Small:

  • Begin with immediate family only
  • Add extended family after comfortable
  • Ensure everyone understands their role
  • Provide quick training/walkthrough

Clear Roles:

  • Explain what each person can do
  • Set expectations for calendar management
  • Define who manages which displays
  • Regular family meetings to review

Age-Appropriate Access:

  • Young kids: View-only, managed by parents
  • Tweens (10-12): Begin adding own events (supervised)
  • Teens: More independence, parent oversight
  • Adults: Full access as appropriate

Communication:

  • Announce when adding new members
  • Explain role and permissions
  • Share best practices
  • Regular check-ins on usage

Troubleshooting​

Invitation Not Received​

Check:

  • Email address spelled correctly
  • Check spam/junk folder
  • Wait 5-10 minutes for delivery
  • Check if email provider blocking

Solutions:

  • Resend invitation
  • Try different email address
  • Create account for them directly (kids)
  • Contact support if persistent

Can't Access Features​

Issue: Family member says they can't do something

Check:

  • Verify their role and permissions
  • Confirm they're logged into correct account
  • Check if feature requires parent approval
  • Ensure subscription includes feature

Solution:

  • Adjust permissions if appropriate
  • Upgrade their role if needed
  • Enable parent approval if restricted
  • Review subscription plan features

Multiple Accounts Confusion​

Issue: Family member has multiple accounts

Solution:

  • Consolidate to one account
  • Ensure everyone uses correct login email
  • Remove duplicate accounts
  • Update family member list

Next Steps​

Family Management:

Setup Features:

Questions? Contact [email protected] or check Common Issues