What affidavit means
An affidavit or declaration is your sworn account in writing. You set out facts you know to be true, sign it, and in most places you are affirming it under penalty of perjury. Courts use these to establish facts without every detail needing live testimony. The difference between the two terms is largely procedural and varies by jurisdiction; both carry the weight of a statement you have sworn is accurate.
Because you are swearing to specifics, accuracy is everything. This is where a dated, factual log earns its keep: instead of reconstructing dates and times from memory under pressure, you draft from a record you already made when events were fresh. That protects you from the small errors that opposing counsel will use to question your credibility.
Example: your declaration says the other parent was ninety minutes late to three exchanges last month. If your journal already lists those three dates with arrival times, drafting is quick and the statement is precise. If you are guessing, one wrong date can make the whole paragraph look unreliable.
Never overstate. A declaration built on a calm, factual record reads as credible; one that stretches beyond what you can support does the opposite.