How often does your child call home? - Page 4

Mary13 · 10-22-2009, 09:37 AM

archiemom...LOL...I've been there.

My older kids and I rarely talk on the phone. We're e-mailers. Once, I made the mistake of calling my daughter about something inconsequential; she said, "Mom!! You never call! You scared the heck out of me!"

colmomto2 · 10-22-2009, 10:03 AM

DS and I decided that he would call me once a week while he was doing his laundry. His first few weeks at school, he called me Saturdays while walking back from the football game and Sundays while doing laundry. I didn't call him because I wanted him to have his freedom. I do email him most days, but don't expect an email back. Usually, I send him a link to some article I think he might be interested in reading or just tell him about some news that just popped up on the news websites.

He is now calling me several times a day - usually while he is walking to class, waiting for a bus, etc. Saturdays we call each other constantly during our hometown team's football game. "Did you see that hit? That ref is blind. OMG! Did you see that catch?" We discuss the hit, call, catch then hang up only to call each other 5 minutes later. It cracks me up. I am thrilled that DS stays in touch so much. Usually just short conversations, but I miss him much less than when he first went off to school.

Note: DS goes to school far, far away, but grew up in a college town so is loyal to his childhood hometown team. He's loyal to his school team, too. Let's hope the two never meet.

tenisghs · 10-22-2009, 10:05 AM

I called my mother every other day. If I was extremely busy, 1-2 times a week.

P.S. She does not do email, that's why we do the phone conversations.

oldfort · 10-22-2009, 10:29 AM

D1 and I do online shopping together on Fri afternoon sometimes. We'll go through the latest fashion (all the good, bad and ugly) together. I guess it's kind of like watching football together.

Modadunn · 10-22-2009, 11:17 AM

I agree with those that note the difference between daughters and sons. And while I really miss talking to my son as often as I could when he was home AND I wish I heard from him more... I transferred this to thinking about how often I want my H talking to HIS mother or how I'd view it as a girl at college if a boy I liked was calling and or talking to his Mom a couple of times a day. Seriously, I'd wonder about the apron strings. Not sure why I recognize and accept the double standard in an abstract way, but as it applies to my own kid - not so much.

romanigypsyeyes · 10-22-2009, 11:28 AM

When I first moved in, we hardly ever talked. Then my dad lost his best friend (that every one in the family was extremely close to) and we began talking more, just checking up on one another because everyone was very seriously depressed and none of us coped very well.

Now, my parents and I talk about once a day usually. Not really talk so much as to just check up. H1N1 has been pretty rampant on my campus and I've been hit badly by some kid of bug.

However, we don't need to talk much because I've been home nearly ever weekend. Dad tore the ligaments in his ankle so I needed to help him out around the house and go take his place at work (we really can't afford to lose any money).

I predict after winter break and everything quiets down, we'll probably talk about once every 1-3 days.

momreads · 10-22-2009, 12:29 PM

It depends on how busy my son is. Sometimes, we hear from him every day. Sometimes, just twice a week. I usually get a daily e-mail. I also hear from his girlfriend, as well as her mom a few times a week. Cell service is not great at his school, so getting an e-mail is sometimes better.

emeraldkity4 · 10-22-2009, 12:37 PM

well my older daughter not only called her dad yesterday but she sent me some instant messages.
Seems that she finally listened to the band I recommended and " they are amazing!, she is telling all her friends about them"

I do call the younger daughter every other week or so ( when she is in US)
phone call lasts about two minutes. maybe.

musicamusica · 10-22-2009, 12:45 PM

D calls about twice a week. I don't call her unless it's necessary. HOWEVER, her boyfriends mom calls her 2-3 times a week to find out how her son is doing. (since he never calls his mom)

idad · 10-22-2009, 01:10 PM

S1, a 4th year, calls at least once a week to both his Mom and me, sometimes more if something in class has caught his fancy and he wants to tell me about it. Texting occurs frequently as well, email less often. We use video iChat a couple times a quarter as well. We really appreciate the communication and let him know it.

paying3tuitions · 10-22-2009, 01:59 PM

Our 3 are considering developing a weekly conference call at a set time, to include us old parents. Living in 3 cities, they miss each other and the dynamic we once had. Awww. I hope it gets off the ground.

The older two (now college grads) call parents when big things happen. Examples: an engagement; a speeding ticket; deciding to move in with someone (not in that order).

The youngest (jr. in college) calls ALL THE TIME (well, every other day) to tell us about his projects. He figured out a way to get our ear without competing with the older sibs! We are like bobble-heads, nodding and listening. Much delight there.

Since I recall phoning out from a wooden pay phone with a faux "collect call" to myself every Sunday at 2 p.m., whether I wanted to or not, I really like the spontaneity of today's communication technolgies. Fpr any readers born after l980, what happened then is the parents declined my collect call and phoned me back immediately. This saved us several dollars. OK stop laughing, that's how it was.

Smithview · 10-22-2009, 02:21 PM

We get a text or email from our freshman son about once a week or more. A call only if we text and say we have something to discuss [like travel arrangements] or he needs something that we forgot to send. I like the independence and confidence that he displays.

ParentOfIvyHope · 10-22-2009, 02:28 PM

Freshman DD text in the morning before going to classes which is around 8:30 a.m. (EST) her time and 5:30 a.m. (PST) our time.
She then text after the classes during dinner time around 8 p.m. (EST).
She talks to her mom whenever possible during the day.
She calls/text prior to going to bed around 1 a.m. (EST) and 10 p.m. (PST).
She does video chat on the weekend.

I text her whenever I've something to discuss and she promptly text back so I'm happy for the time being.

TheDad · 10-22-2009, 02:34 PM

D calls once a week, which is the pattern we all settled in to about half way through the first year of college. It's sometimes hard to get a word in edgewise and I find myself making notes of things that I want to remember to talk to her about. (This is the kid who, when home and we were driving home from a mini-vacation together, said, "I'm tired of talking about work" and then thought of one more thing and spent the next hour-plus talking about work.) Generally our calls are 30-60 minutes.

Occasional supplemental e-mails.

TheDad · 10-22-2009, 02:39 PM

Quote:

well my older daughter not only called her dad yesterday but she sent me some instant messages.
Seems that she finally listened to the band I recommended and " they are amazing!, she is telling all her friends about them"

D has picked up a number of my musical tastes but I can never tell which or why in advance. From Simon & Garfunkle to Springsteen to Al Stewart, she's on board and the Beatles are de rigeur.

Works in reverse sometimes as well. She gave me a Girlyman compilation CD that's in my car right now and I enjoy quite a bit, more than the latest Green Day, which I liked better 10 years ago.
I'm bemused by one of her comments on Girlyman, which she in turn was turned on to by a former classmate: "It's really popular in the Boston Jewish queer community." Now *that* is micro-defined audience.