Welcome back to another episode of the Post Separation Abuse Podcast, the podcast for parents who are navigating post-separation life and want content that helps their courage, their clarity, and to put their kids first. I'm Danielle Black, Post Separation Parenting Coach and Creator of the Post Separation Parenting Blueprint. Today we're talking about something that can make even the most grounded parents heart race. Meeting with a family report writer. If you're in the family court system, chances are at some point that you'll be asked to participate in a family report or a child impact report, also known as a short form report, depending on your situation. For many parents this can be one of the most stressful parts of the entire court process. You likely have awareness that the report can influence what the court thinks about your family, your parenting, and your children's best interests. And yet most of the advice that parents get before meeting with a report writer sounds something like quote just be honest. Now honesty is important, of course, but let's be real. That's not enough. It's not enough because this process isn't just about telling the truth or telling your truth and perspective, but it's also about how you tell it, how you show up, whether you're able to stay calm and credible even when the questions are challenging, when the questions may feel uncomfortable or even when they might feel unfair. Meeting with a report writer isn't a test that you pass or fail, that it is an opportunity. An opportunity to demonstrate that you're tuned in to your kids, that you're steady, that you're child focused, that you're safe. Report writers are not looking for perfection. This is not a parenting competition. Rather what they should be looking for is genuine insight, that you understand your children's age and developmental needs, emotional awareness, that you can stay calm even when you're in a stressful situation, that you're tuned in to the emotional needs of your children, and that you have protective capacity, that you're able to make decisions that can keep your children safe. So preparation for meeting with a report writer isn't about rehearsing perfect answers, but rather a lot of it's about grounding yourself so that you can speak clearly and calmly. Here are a few common traps that I see parents, particularly protective parents, fall into. Number one is over explaining or venting. When we feel unheard or misrepresented, which is very, very common when you're in the court system because it is inherently adversarial, it's natural to want to explain everything. But the reality is that too much detail can come across as defensive. Number two is about avoiding hard truths. Sometimes protective parents hold back because they're afraid of sounding negative or high conflict, but the key is to be able to share difficult experiences calmly and factually, not avoid them completely. This includes being able to acknowledge when you yourself have not made the best decision. And again, sometimes people hold things like that back because they're approaching this as being a parent in competition rather than recognizing that the focus is completely on the children, or at least it should be. That's what these reports are supposed to be focused on. Common mistake number three is trying to control what the kids say. Even a gentle comment such as quote, just make sure you tell the truth, can create so much pressure and anxiety for kids, it can create a loyalty bind within your children, and you're running the risk that a report writer is going to pick up on the fact that your children are uncomfortable and that perhaps they've been influenced or coached in some way. Your children's role is simply to be themselves, and your role is to create safety for them no matter what, not to script their story. When I work with parents one-on-one to help them prepare for meeting with report writers, we tend to focus on three main things. The first thing is clarity, knowing what you want to communicate about your children's needs. Now we also unpack the family violence that's occurred, post-separation abuse that has occurred, but particularly how those things are impacting the children. It's not that the court and that the professionals who work within the court aren't interested in the impact on you, but primarily the focus is on your children. We also focus on being calm, practicing grounding techniques to regulate your nervous system on the day. And this is the sort of homework that I give a lot of my clients. Grounding techniques, emotion regulation techniques for them to be practicing even during moments of calm and ideally every day, so that when they get to a situation where they're feeling potentially triggered, using those techniques is going to be second nature to them. We also talk about credibility, how to frame your experiences in a way that's balanced and factual as opposed to being really emotional. The most powerful thing that you can bring to any meeting with a report writer is not a perfect script, which in my professional experience doesn't exist. Rather, it's your presence, a calm, steady energy that says I'm a safe parent, I'm an emotionally responsive and tuned in parent, my children are safe with me, and my priority is my children's safety and well being. If you're listening to this and you're feeling anxious about an upcoming report, firstly take a breath. You don't have to be perfect. You just need to be real, regulated, and genuinely focused on your kids. You're already doing the hardest part, showing up. And that tells me that you care deeply about your children. If you'd like more help preparing for your family report, or you just want to feel calmer and clearer about what to expect, I've created a comprehensive digital resource called Preparing for Your Family Report, a parent's guide to staying calm, clear, and child focused. It walks you through the things that we've talked about today in greater detail, how to prepare, the sorts of things to say and not say, how to support your children, and what to expect generally on the day. Plus some practical checklists, example language, and some self-regulation tools. Those who have already accessed the post-separation parenting blueprint will find this digital resource as a bonus inside module 20 Legal Considerations. However, it's also available on my website Danielle Blackcoaching.com.au as a standalone digital guide available for purchase. You don't have to face this process alone, and you don't have to lose yourself in it either. Every time you choose calm over chaos, you're protecting your kids in the most powerful way possible. Take care of yourself and remember that you are stronger, braver, and more capable than you think. And if you'd like to connect with me for some in depth coaching support specific to your situation and circumstances, you can book a call with me via the website danielleblackcoaching.com.au. Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to be here with me. I look forward to chatting with you soon.