<p>DB, that is so, so sweet of your S… I’d cry, too!</p>
<p>DougBetsy…awwwww.
Actually, today, my older daughter who is in France, Skyped me even though we did it two days ago, but she saw I was online and said she wanted to say hi before she signed off and she began with an enthusiastic, “Mommy!!!” (other D doesn’t use that)</p>
<p>But other D called me as she was walking from one thing to another today too, to share in exciting news/developments. (she just starts calls with “hi” and I have to figure out which D it is in that one syllable…then again, the background noise from the streets of NYC are a dead giveaway)</p>
<p>All’s good.</p>
<p>soozievt - I always know it is D calling me now without looking at the phone number as I can hear the street noise in New York also. She likes to chat when she is walking to or from classes.</p>
<p>What has worked for DS and me more than the Skype video calls is the Skype text messaging. I like that I’m alerted whenever he has sent me a message, so I can respond quickly. We seem to communicate better in writing than verbally! We usually message each other every day, although he’s been too busy the last couple of days - he’s never even on-line.</p>
<p>S2 and I have been IMing. He wants us to get Skype. I think DH is waiting til S1 is home so he can provide tech support.</p>
<p>Skype chat is nice. Even if you can’t be there to answer the phone, they can leave you an instant message…or you can, for them. My son had some Skype tech problems while studying abroad for the video, but the chat always seemed to work, for some reason.</p>
<p>I love Skype text chatting with D1. But last year we would leave messages for each other that we would receive when at the computer and I wouldn’t feel like I was bothering her with silly things if she was out and about. This year she has Skype on her Verizon smartphone and I feel a little awkward sending trivial messages when I know she could be anywhere when receiving them…I definitely don’t want to bother her when she’s busy. That said, she loves having Skype on her phone to be in more convenient contact with her friends, bf, abroad.</p>
<p>This year with D2, I think it will be a whole different ballgame in communication. By nature, she’s not as chatty and I don’t expect as many Skype calls and messages throughout her very busy days.</p>
<p>I like skype-text too. I got answers to a few questions tonight, spread over time as we each were near our computers. Of course I wouldn’t have needed to ask about the package arriving if he had thought to send a quick thank you text that day.</p>
<p>When kids find time to talk to parents 4 times/day?<br>
I am happy to hear from my D. any time day/night. I alsways say thank you for calling. But she is busier than that and I am too.</p>
<p>^^^ My kids also would not find time to call four times per day. As it is, they squeeze in the calls they do make…typically every couple of days, except if something comes up and so sometimes it is consecutive days. But one D does a lot of her calls while walking from one thing to another and that’s how she fits it in. She is in NYC and so there is a great deal of walking.</p>
<p>"But one D does a lot of her calls while walking from one thing to another "</p>
<p>-that is exactly when my D. calls. She does not have other time. But a lot of times she needs to prepare for some challenging test and she goes over material in her head while walking, so no, she does not call every couple of days, unless she needs me. Sometime she emails or texts one of us, again when she needs us. But that is what we are for - to support in time of need.</p>
<p>One of my D’s is like soozievt younger D. She will call to share news but the majority of her calls are just because. They aren’t long calls. They can be calls as she is walking her dog, calls from the grocery store with questions, calls when she is walking back and forth from her classes. I know if the phone rings at a certain time it is her getting out of class and walking the 15 minute walk back to her car. I sm happy to keep her company while she walks.</p>
<p>I’m a time-filler, too, mom60 - my D usually calls when she’s walking to and from the el, on her way to and from classes. I am more than happy to be the one she talks to, chats with, and vents to! She calls at least twice a day; granted most of the phone calls aren’t earth-shaking, but I love them: funny stories from class, discussions about last night’s “Project Runway,” “what will I cook for dinner”… and like Soozie’s D’d calls, I can hear the city noises in the background. I personally prefer these quick updates than having to wait for a “real” conversation that occurs less frequently.</p>
<p>Funny, the longer my D is away, the more she calls. Maybe she thought being independent meant cutting communication? But as the weeks have progressed, I am getting more and more quick texts and phone calls. And I even got one email!!! (such an antiquated form of communication to today’s college kids.)</p>
<p>megpmom, I just got an email a few minutes ago from D2 as well. My kids use text a great deal with their friends. But cell phones do not work where I live and my kids cannot text me and do use email with me. And phone. And truth be told, I sent D2 some emails last night about some things and she was responding to that.</p>