Don't call us.. we will call you

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Long story short: My parents spend 2 months at a Thailand resort every year. I am mid-50's and have 2 adult brothers. We all have families.
Although my parents are older, they are both in great physical and mental health.

Every year before they leave for their trip, they say, "don't call us- we will call you." They always call once. They just got back, and this time they did not call anyone even once. We did communicate more regularly by text (brief texts.)

My question is what do you think is an acceptable level of communication in this situation?

How would you feel if you called and a ladyboy answered?

[Anonymous]

2 months is a lomg time to get murdered and the murderer can text you.

Make sure you ask personal questions about you childhood regularly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s sad when you hear that phrase from your parents. We need to maintain voice conversations.

If it's once a year for 8 weeks, that's not a permanent move away from voice conversations. It's a special set of circumstances and being sad about it sounds melodramatic.

I think it's bizarre personally. From a safety standpoint, it's dumb for any traveling adult not to be in touch more regularly with people. From a family standpoint, you don't even want to send a pic to your own kids?

You know you can send a picture through a text, right?

You know how you can't send a picture? Through a phone call.

I think op would have said so if she received a pic. In any case, who texts internationally? People do what's app and messenger for calls, video calls and pics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s sad when you hear that phrase from your parents. We need to maintain voice conversations.

If it's once a year for 8 weeks, that's not a permanent move away from voice conversations. It's a special set of circumstances and being sad about it sounds melodramatic.

I think it's bizarre personally. From a safety standpoint, it's dumb for any traveling adult not to be in touch more regularly with people. From a family standpoint, you don't even want to send a pic to your own kids?

You know you can send a picture through a text, right?

You know how you can't send a picture? Through a phone call.

I think op would have said so if she received a pic. In any case, who texts internationally? People do what's app and messenger for calls, video calls and pics.

Whatsapp is considered texting. OP says they communicate regularly with texting. Pearl clutching over not hearing their voice while they are on vacation, in a different time zone on a different continent is OTT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s sad when you hear that phrase from your parents. We need to maintain voice conversations.

If it's once a year for 8 weeks, that's not a permanent move away from voice conversations. It's a special set of circumstances and being sad about it sounds melodramatic.

I think it's bizarre personally. From a safety standpoint, it's dumb for any traveling adult not to be in touch more regularly with people. From a family standpoint, you don't even want to send a pic to your own kids?

You know you can send a picture through a text, right?

You know how you can't send a picture? Through a phone call.

I think op would have said so if she received a pic. In any case, who texts internationally? People do what's app and messenger for calls, video calls and pics.

Who is so desperate for communication while someone else is on vacation that they need more than some texts? Yes, pics are nice, but … whatever.

OP hasn’t explained what was so important that some text messages don’t suffice.

I’m guessing parents do a lot of child care, etc. and the problem is that they’re on vacation at all.

That said, I’m sure OP will surface to say that’s not the case, but they haven’t explained what’s wrong with some texts.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I am on the west coast. Parents (grandparents) are on the east coast, so, NO, I do not rely on them for childcare.

[Anonymous]

OP here again. Nothing wrong with texts. When my daughter is grown up, I cannot imagine not speaking to her for 2 months- I would want to, is my point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here again. Nothing wrong with texts. When my daughter is grown up, I cannot imagine not speaking to her for 2 months- I would want to, is my point.

I would as well. Are your parents generally very self-absorbed people?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here again. Nothing wrong with texts. When my daughter is grown up, I cannot imagine not speaking to her for 2 months- I would want to, is my point.

I would as well. Are your parents generally very self-absorbed people?

Sometimes. They go back and forth being self-absorbed, or not.

[Anonymous]

Maybe it’s like how as a teen one might like to hang out somewhere and be left alone without a care in the world.

When you see them next, you can work out a signal so they can assure you they’re ok.

[Anonymous]

Are you their emergency contact? If so then they own you regular updates. If not, well they are setting boundaries you may not love. They kind of seem weird and antisocial in 2024. But not much you can do about it and no point in trying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you their emergency contact? If so then they own you regular updates. If not, well they are setting boundaries you may not love. They kind of seem weird and antisocial in 2024. But not much you can do about it and no point in trying.

OP here. No- not emergency contact

[Anonymous]

I would at least want a text confirming they arrived safely and one when they’re at the airport to come home. It would be nice to get something at the halfway point saying hi but the other two I think are important.

[Anonymous]

I kind of love your parents’ independence. I’m “orphaned” now but used to have to ignore my parents’ daily (sometimes 2x) calls to recount their trip in exhaustive detail (“then for breakfast, your dad had scrambled eggs and I decided to try avocado toast. You wouldn’t believe it but our waitress is from Salt Lake. I’ll call you later to tell you what I’m ordering g for lunch”) all during the days when I was a frazzled, WFH mom with 3DC.

My parents expected that we adult siblings would check in with them at least once when we were on our own vacations and or business trips. Nope.

[Anonymous]

I don’t really get the problem I think