Document, document, document...

[billiechic]

OCL just recommended email, as the communication journal is not timely. Now to wait for ex to give me his email address, since he "doesn't have email". Thought you needed one to get a FB account.... hmmm...

For Text Messages or other written communication, taking a picture is a good idea as well. YOu can date stamp it, and if papers get "lost" or disappear, at least you have something to show. Not as credible as email, but useful.

[anotherSTEPmother]

OK so I have actually gone into a police office to ask about the legalities of recording.

When you are recording a conversation, one of the parties ACTUALLY participating in the conversation MUST do the recording. It is not required that you tell the other person that you are recording either.

This means if I am having a conversation with someone they or I must be recording. If someone else is in the background recording or if a third party is recording then it is unacceptable.

and again, like I said before recordings are not 100% useful, the only time for us has been to disprove accusations made to the police. otherwise not much help, but if false accusations are being made about harassement/assault, they can be helpful.

AND they CAN be used in trial situations, but there is slim to no chance having that heard in any other court appearance.

[anotherSTEPmother]

And I COMPLETELY agree about the communication log, it is especially hard when you are the non-custodial parent!

[lumpy]

I think I would be worried that the communication journal would "go missing." Also, it would have to be taken back and forth by the kids... Mom doesn't tend to think about their needs... so who knows what she would write in it for them to see. I think that the email is the easiest.

[billiechic]

Originally Posted by lumpy

I think I would be worried that the communication journal would "go missing." Also, it would have to be taken back and forth by the kids... Mom doesn't tend to think about their needs... so who knows what she would write in it for them to see. I think that the email is the easiest.

When I was worried about communication journal going missing, I took out my digital camera and took a picture of each page. You could photocopy or scan it as well.

At a time when ex had no email (right) a communication journal was our only option. Too bad he doesn't really use it.

[anotherSTEPmother]

The communication log has been forgotten in our case and on one occasion she outright refused to give it to us as a "punishment" for registering the child in tutoring without her "permission" which is not required...

We have it as court appointed and photocopy it EVERY exchange in addition to numbering pages and dating everything.

But I agree, if the option is there EMAIL ALL THE WAY.


One

[KeepSmiling]

communication ....

in today's world, you would think that with so many methods available, we could get it right ...

but then again, if we could, maybe the divorce rate wouldn't be so high.

sometimes it just doesn't matter, broken telephone syndrome - whatever it starts as ... it mutates into something completely different.

[KeepSmiling]

and ...

if it's just about irrelevant stuff ... I have opted for the communication moratorium - no communication for one week.

then start again

then, nod and smile, nod a smile