Not replying to texts

One dd - the one almost permanently glued to her phone - will respond almost immediately to any text, WhatsApp or email. And will almost always answer her phone, except when she texts instead - ‘I’m in a (zoom) meeting’.

The other will usually take a day or two to reply to anything, and her phone is often off. No problems with the relationship - dds are just very different.

I don’t agree with those who say it only takes a minute. The interruptions of a train of thought can be very annoying. You have stop to read it and then reply, then try to go back to what you were doing..

I think text should not be for general chat, especially as you say you see her often.

I like texts as a way of keeping up with friends and family. I usually get a reply the same day apart from one friend who never replies and only communicates by phone.

I asked my GS the other day why he hadn't replied to a text from me. He said texts appear at the top of his phone and he means to reply but sometimes forgets. I think the young people get such a lot of texts and other messages that this explains it.

Like mobile phones - texting is for the owners convenience.

I’ll respond when I get around to it. Same as phone calls and emails. None of us exist simply to give into others whims/ reply immediately.

Yes, I confess to finding a lack of response very disappointing.

My daughter rarely replies to my texts, she always says she is busy with work childcare etc so I don’t stress about it. But whenever she texts me for childcare, take in parcels, buy something from shops etc I am expected to reply immediately.

I prefer to send a message via WhatsApp or Messenger as I can see when it has been seen.

I have told my teenage grandchildren that if they need me urgently eg in an emergency or to change an arrangement, they must ring my landline.
I am not glued to my phone so may miss a text, and usually my phone is still switched off (from choir practice or sleep time) so I don’t hear it.
Otherwise we just respond to texts when we can, with the exception of the eldest grandchild, now an adult, who is plain rude and never responds. Definitely never says thank you.

I am guilty of not answering texts, they are the ones that say ‘how are you’ or ‘how did your outing go’. These are txts that if answered will turn into a text conversation or as in the case of my mother, she will stop texting and phone and saying she would rather talk than text.

I have not answered the text because I am busy or with somebody, you would not answer a phone call if busy so why answer a text. I tend to read the text and plan to answer later but do sometimes forget or the reply would be too late.

Just because people now can be contacted day or night it doesn’t mean that you should expect them to be able to answer or want to answer.

Same here Aussie gran from very young SIL who asks to facetime, you sit in all afternoon and she never does. BIL her husband chooses the most inconvenient time he can think of to face time, like when you have family and he knows you will be eating.
He tried it on Christmas morning when we were at our DD, he was lonely his children to his first wife had gone to her for Christmas. For the first time ever DH cut him short and wished him a Merry Christmas.

We're all on whatsapp and are pretty good at replying. And at least we know if they have read it because of the ticks turning blue. With texting we simply don't know if it's even been read.

Just realised I didn't have a proper conversation with my daughter when she was home at Christmas. Every time I went to speak one of the kids needed something and off she went. She rings home sometimes but again she is calling to the children every few minutes. If I miss her call I ring back immediately and it goes straight to voicemail.

I text (or email) when I think that the person I'm contacting might be busy and unable to respond to a phone call. They can reply when it's convenient. I do expect a reply at some point, though, preferably fairly soon!

Like others, my GD's texts usually extend to "thank you"...

Sago

I often find text messages intrusive, I will read them when I’m ready, sometimes they don’t warrant a response.

Agree.

Text messages are a good way to keep in touch but IMO often over-used.

The texter will send you a message at their convenience - but it's not necessarily received at yours.

I've had to make it clear to my friends that I will always answer their messages, but that it might take a few days to do so. Unless of course it's an urgent message. I have to micro-manage virtually every aspect of my disabled partner's life at the same time as dealing with my own complex health problems and the minutiae of everyday life. Sometimes, I don't even have time to eat and have to do it while I'm on the go - no time to sit down, grab a bite, and check my messages! But, they do understand.

I could of course spend less time on GN, but I often dip into it when I'm "held in a queue and will be answered as soon as an operator is free" mode .

My eldest gd who is at Uni, waits days before she replies. She is the same with her mum and other relations. I text her a couple of times a week just to let her know we are thinking of her,

I always message straight back to anyone, otherwise I could forget. It only takes a few seconds.

No problems with family here, we WhatsApp quite a bit and its good to send and get photos. But I don't see them much due to distance.

Also - its nice to reply when one wants to chatty ones.

I get tired easily and also Ds and DiL are so busy that phone calls are rare but when we do phone its with video which is nice.

However....my grandchildren aren't at a texting age yet, so we'll see.

Texts are so much easier and less intrusive than phoning. The recipient can reply at his/her leisure. I rarely phone because they are all very busy. Actually, I get a faster reply if I text the girls in the family, except my teenage grand daughter who hardly checks her WhatsApp. It’s all instagram etc. As long as they’re ok, that’s all that matters..

I often find text messages intrusive, I will read them when I’m ready, sometimes they don’t warrant a response.

I’m guilty. My immediate family all use Messenger rather than texts, which is on both my phone and my iPad. I prefer the iPad, so I can sometimes go days without checking my phone if I’m not out much, and I forget all about texts only being accessible via the phone. Hands up.

I text my son maybe once very 10 days or so - often he doesn't reply, so I send it again. It's very annoying. My daughter replies as soon as she can.

Oldest granddaughter and grandson reply very quickly. Middle granddaughter will reply after a day or so.

I have just had to get used to it.

My DD doesn't often reply to my infrequent texts either AussieGran.
Or if she does it's a one word yes or no. There's seldom a conversation. Sometimes she sends a photo which I like.
She phones me and expects me to answer. ofcourse

I have an In Law who does this. I hadn't realised it was so common a phenomena. The rest of the family think it is quite amusing and I think she imagines she is controlling us somehow (she isn't). Funnily enough when we telephone her for a chat she talks your head off and will often refer to how lovely pics were, that we have sent her or how good, for example, the day out we have suggested sounds but doesn't mention that she hadn't responded or replied to a question. We don't chase up the answer to the questions. She rarely telephones us but sounds delighted when we ring her. It is both rude and weird which describes part of her personality.

The texts I receive from my grandchildren can be summed up easily, as:
Thank you
Yes thank you
No thank you
Yes
No

I suppose I must be content with that!

I always reply to texts but sometimes I will quickly read one and then think when I sit down I will reply but then forget but always apologise when I do. I also type a message but then leave it forgetting to press send and again apologising profusely for the late reply.