Asking an adult to let you know when they get home

[Anonymous]

DH and I recently vacationed with my sibling, about a two-hour drive away. Both my mom and MIL asked me to text when I arrived, so they would know. When we left at the end of our visit, my sibling asked me to text when I got home. I am 40. I was traveling with DH during the day, not alone or at night.

I usually ignore this kind of stuff but the multiple requests (and one follow-up when I didn't actually text) really shone a light on it. Is there a better way to handle this?

[Anonymous]

Text? I see no issue with the request. They care..what is your issue in sending a 10 second text..”home safe”.

[Anonymous]

What’s the problem?

[Anonymous]

Just send the text 'home ' and ignore all others until you have time. It's annoying but will take you two seconds.

[Anonymous]

My Mom would do this when we drove anywhere over 2 hrs away. She would then call immediately after we sent a message we had arrived.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My Mom would do this when we drove anywhere over 2 hrs away. She would then call immediately after we sent a message we had arrived.

My dad too . And when I forgot to call he would call and make a joke.

I miss him.

[Anonymous]

It’s awful they care so much about you. Just terrible.

[Anonymous]

I find this really annoying too. I go on a million car trips a year, and THIS ONE is the one I have to text you about? It feels ... controlling and disrespectful that you’re an adult.

[Anonymous]

My parents, sister and I do this without even asking. My sister and I are both married with our own families.

[Anonymous]

Could it be anxiety?

I once forgot to text that I was home safe, my mom’s request, and she called in a panic. She confided in me that she suffers from anxiety when people important to her are driving, and she just feels better knowing they arrived safely. I now oblige it and feel happy I’m one of her “important people”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Text? I see no issue with the request. They care..what is your issue in sending a 10 second text..”home safe”.

+1. I don’t understand why this would be a problem?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find this really annoying too. I go on a million car trips a year, and THIS ONE is the one I have to text you about? It feels ... controlling and disrespectful that you’re an adult.

Agree. I give in to this type of stuff. I’ve put up a lot of other walls.

[Anonymous]

I would ignore except for my mom.

[Anonymous]

It feels annoying dating all the way back to parents helicoptering over me in HS. I sometimes do it and sometimes don’t depending on my mood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It takes so much more time, effort and mental energy to stew over this and write a long-ass post and follow up to read the replies than it does to text: "Home safe! Thanks for a great visit."

Exactly