Not having a smart phone...

I did get a call yesterday to check that I was doing the school run today and saying that a missed call from me had been picked up [ I had called several times] so they are happy to use a landline when it suits them. Funny thing is that they both complain that their father can never be contacted as he never answers his mobile or his landline when they call them. It was just one particular incident this week that upset me; a family meet up that I wasn't invited to; I'm 100% sure that, had I just turned up it would have been fine but I'm not that sort of mother and just wanted to check that it was ok. I feel terribly sad about not seeing my ex in laws very often and I desperately wanted to see one of them that was visiting .

Texting isn't difficult. Just do it, tegan. Get over the barrier you have put up.

I don't have a smart phone either but I do send texts. That, receiving calls and making calls, is all my phone does.

If your kids never respond in any way to your texts or other communications by other means, then and only then, do you have a valid complaint.

Tegan a few years back I told my son that I was sad that he didn't ask how I was and only wanted to tell me about himself, or what he needed. He was quite shocked and from that day has made a point of making the conversation more equal. It is worth a try with your children.

I agree with the others about embracing modern technology. Perhaps a friend would teach you to text ? That is how all young people communicate and it is the way I get answers to things.

Best of luck.

I love my iPhone, iPad and smart tv. No I don't know all the capabilies, but am willing to learn. Why resist? I don't want to be one of these old people who live in the past and refuse to try anything new. ( like my mil)

The new HTCs don't have an inbuilt flash, so it it's a camera your after I'd give them a miss jingl apart from that they're great phones. I've just swopped my much loved HTC for a Motorola. They're both android so that suits me too yoga

Not saying anything wrong with Nokia Lumina just not as 'intuitive' to use as some others. I'm sure once you get to grips with the OS they are fine.

I love my smartphone and I'm a loyal Android user. It's never very far away from me, texting is useful as you can get a message across without the intrusion of a phone call. So good to always have a camera with you and the quality of the modern phone cameras often beats the older SLR's

I believe that we have to keep up with technology (and even keep ahead of our children!). Luckily I enjoy modern technology

I really don't like that swipey/touchy thing you have to do - in fact I hate it!!! Can't do it...

Aka - yes. That's what son keeps telling me. He wants me to get an HTC Desire 610. Says it is very easy to use. But it's 16 quid a month, or £229 to buy outright for payg. I can't see that I need a contract. A £30 top-up lasts me for ages for texting. I don't need yet another device to get the internet on.

ok, I don't mind texting, arrived safely etc, but I do get the hump when the first I see of one of the family being away are pictures on facebook, flickr or other social networks. A text to say I am off for a few days, a week or fortnight before they go is all I ask, or is that too much to ask?

I love my Nokia Lumina. I find it very easy to use.

It's what I use daily for GN, Google (no booting up the laptop if I need an answer quick) and texting. I tend to text DD as it doesn't require an immediate response which is often difficult with two under 5s. I also love that DD and I can share a diary. With me doing so much childcare and DGS having several medical appointments it's a Godsend.

The last time I had a landline was 2002. I love all the technology that's around now. I'm tempted to buy a Smart TV after watching my Ds.

I love texting. I'm a bit shy and if I can get away with a text or email I will!

I have no mobile phone reception here at all, and do feel a bit excluded as everyone else I know communicates by text, and I used to. However, facebook keeps me well and truly in touch with most of my family, although I do wish my sisters would use it. They won't, so I use nieces and nephews as go-betweens - before facebook I doubt I would have had any contact with them at all.


Tegan, you don't have to put a photo of yourself on facebook. You don't have to put anything on at all if you don't want to. My advice is that you just join, and request your children to be your friends. That bit is automatically on view, as you view their page after you join. Then tick 'follow' once you are accepted. After that, whenever you log in go to 'Home' and you will see the news feeds from family who are your friends. If you wish to make the odd statement of your own, such as 'going to Ely cathedral tomorrow', at least they will know where you are and when to expect you back. My Mil does it all the time. By us 'liking' her posts, she knows that we acknowledge her existence!

jingl Nokia uses Microsoft's Windows Phone OS as its primary smartphone platform. It might take some getting used to.

I love texts but have the most basic mobile phone you can get, it suits me just fine. I am registered disabled here and am provided with a free landline, including calls to all European countries. Although I tend to use Skype most of the time as I love to see absent DC and GC, and friends all over the world too.

Didn't have time for the stained glass, although I very much wanted to see it [I love stained glass]. Probably a good job we didn't book that as the guided tour itself lasted for ages. I didn't go up the tower either because we got talking to someone in the car park who then said he'd walk to the cathedral with us [was a local who told us so much fascinating stuff about the area that I didn't want to delay matters by putting my walking boots back on, and didn't want to go climbing steps wearing my Crocs]. But it gives us a reason to go back, along with spending more time at Wicken Fen. We were rather unlucky with the weather I'm afraid. I didn't realise the area flooded in winter and people skated everywhere. At the cottage at Wicken Fen they showed us some of the typical Fen skates that people used. And I had visions of Hereward the Wake hiding on the Fens and Boadicea riding her chariot along what is now Newmarket Racecourse. They are building a new Racing Museum on the site of Charles 11's palace in Newmarket so will have to go back for that when it opens.

There is a new Nokia phone due out this month. It is supposed to be the bee's knees (camera, I-net etc) and only £79 to buy outright - no monthly contract to fork out for, just pay as you go. I might get that. I would like a camera phone. It's mostly texting I do. Not many calls.

Called Nokia lumia 903 (I think)

Not at all grouchy Tegan just post holiday let down? Hope you enjoyed Ely. Did you see the stained glass exhibition? Amazing!

Oh sorry Tegan - didn't read it properly.

My sons' families do have landlines, but all too often have let the batteries run down, or left the phone down the back of the sofa with the missing TV remote, and don't get to it in time when I ring up. It's usually quicker to ring their mobiles.

My children and grandchildren don't even have landlines any more so I've joined them and got a smart phone. Quite enjoying it but first day whilst browsing I found I'd joined some group by accident, no idea how.

My Android phone talks to my Android tablet and also talks back to me if I ask it a question. On either of these or on my 'cloud' laptop, I can video-talk to family on Google Hangouts (or Skype), though New Zealand broadband seems to be a bit erratic!

Is it the heat Tegan?

Oh this was years ago, Katy, but thanks for the concern. The thing is, although they don't use landlines [my son hasn't got one anyway, but when I ring him on his mobile he phones me back as it costs a fortune to speak to someone on a mobile from my landline] they know that I'm always at the end of my phone if they need anything and that I always dial 1471 when I get in. And they're quite capable of using phones when they need something . I am grouchy this week, aren't I? !

I hope your son is OK Tegan