A missed contact: what to write down so you don't write accusations

The note should be neutral

A good entry doesn't have to decide who was at fault. It's enough that it shows the chronology: when, what was planned, what was done, what happened and what the outcome was.

A minimal template

• date,
• time,
• the planned way of making contact,
• your attempt,
• the response or lack of response,
• the next calm step.

Instead of a judgment

Don't write: "The other parent deliberately ruined the contact."

Write: "The contact planned for 6:00 p.m. did not take place. At 6:02 p.m. a call was made. The call was not answered. By 8:00 p.m. I had received no response."

When to add an attachment

Add an attachment only when it's needed and doesn't contain unnecessary data about the child or third parties. Don't post attachments on a public forum.

The next step

If contact is formally arranged, check the document before proposing a different time.