I realized on Sunday that it had been over a month or so since the last time I talked to my mom. I felt pretty crappy about that so I gave her a call. Typically it's every other week or so. We're 2.5 hours away from each other so we don't get to see each other as often as we would like. For those of you that aren't close, distance wise, how often do you call your parents/kids? 

We have three kids, all in the Cbus area (we live in Toledo), along with 4 (going on 5) grandchildren. We're not only down there every 2-3 weeks, but we talk to one or more of the kids anywhere from 2-3 times a week, with Facetime being a big part of it.

i call my mom at least every thursday. I have been going to her house every other weekend to take care of things with her being sick and going through treatment. she's stopping treatment for her cancer and going to just let it take her. so i'll be down more often and i've been calling every other day or so. Also planning to take a couple trips in the last few months she has left.

Usually call twice a week (occasionally more if there's a reason beyond small talk) and visit every other week. Only about an hour away, so neither of those things is remotely a bother.

I talk to my mom 2 or 3 times each week and my dad at least once a week. They live close and are actively involved with my kids' lives.

Even when we lived in Marysville (family is in Akron) it was at least once a week and we saw them every other weekend.

I text my mom almost daily and we talk on the phone once a month or so. She's my bff. She lives about 75 minutes from us, but we still try to visit once a month if we can. Selfishly, we like going in the summer because they have a pool, lol. I was there a lot the last few months. I don't call my stepdad, but we text occasionally and I see him when we visit.

I text with my dad a couple times/week. Usually about the Indians, Browns or Buckeyes. We rarely talk on the phone, but to be fair, I don't talk on the phone with anyone. I hate it. I think my husband and I call one another maybe twice/month and it's usually a, "did you already leave the store? We need ___." 

My husband is the opposite. He talks to his mom, dad and brother multiple times/week, sometimes for 30-45 minutes at a time. They love phone calls. We see all of them less because they live 3+ hours away.

I probably talk to my mom on the phone 4 times a week or so. Usually on my morning commute walk (~12-15 min). I rarely talk to anyone else in my family except when I see them in person.

Probably see my mom 3-4 times a year, tough as we're about 3k miles away. I usually spend a week + at home around thanksgiving, and she comes out to the bay 2-3 times.

Damn. Looks like I'm the asshole kid that doesn't talk to his mother enough.

posted by j_crazy

i call my mom at least every thursday. I have been going to her house every other weekend to take care of things with her being sick and going through treatment. she's stopping treatment for her cancer and going to just let it take her. so i'll be down more often and i've been calling every other day or so. Also planning to take a couple trips in the last few months she has left.

Sorry to hear; hope you have some quality time left with her.  Take care.

My parents live 45 minutes away. We talk maybe twice a week either by phone or Facetime (so they can see grandchildren), and text several days a week. We see each other at least once a week. 

Multiple times a week by phone. More regularly by text.

We don't go there often, my parents are more likely to come to us (mom is retired). Hopefully the schedules will settle down a little once little guy is off the tit (come February, if not earlier).

I hate talking about nothing, don’t care who it is with. So I talk to my parents about 1x a month. And it usually is because we have something to talk about (then small talk takes over for a bit). 

I’ll call my dad a bit more during Indiana basketball season, but not much.

posted by justincredible

I realized on Sunday that it had been over a month or so since the last time I talked to my mom. I felt pretty crappy about that so I gave her a call. Typically it's every other week or so. We're 2.5 hours away from each other so we don't get to see each other as often as we would like. For those of you that aren't close, distance wise, how often do you call your parents/kids? 

It's a two-way street.  She didn't call you either, so why feel bad?  I just don't think you should beat yourself up over it.

posted by ernest_t_bass

It's a two-way street.  She didn't call you either, so why feel bad?  I just don't think you should beat yourself up over it

I'm not beating myself up about it at all. It happens every once in a while when we're both busy, but doesn't affect our relationship at all. We just end up talking for a bit longer than normal.

We live 2 hours from my parents.  I give them a lot of credit, b/c they come to as many of our children's stuff as they can.  Brother lives in CBus (1 hour from them) and sister lives in Miami, FL.  I think they are just resigned to the fact that they are now travelers.  We text as needed, and very rarely speak on the phone.  We have a decent relationship, I suppose.

My daughter's call me everyday or my wife everyday. my two daughters usually call me before 8 in the morning and my other daughter calls me usually around 6 or 7 at night.... 

I prefer texting my parents. I'll call my dad driving home from work every few weeks but we'll text more about sports/ politics. They split time between here and Ohio so for half of the year I see them often. 

I talk to my parents at least once a week. 

My grandmother every few weeks, but she's getting up there. I should reach out to her more. I try with my grandfather, but he's your typical grouchy prick.

We live in same town, mom and dad no longer together

I talk with/see Dad about once a week and mom close to the same maybe 4x in 5 weeks. We have everyone over for Sun dinner about once a month.

My daughter is 23 and I message her about once a week to wish her well and she’ll message about once a week to communicate something. She messages with my wife several times a day. I see her about once every 6 weeks it seems.

posted by j_crazy

i call my mom at least every thursday. I have been going to her house every other weekend to take care of things with her being sick and going through treatment. she's stopping treatment for her cancer and going to just let it take her. so i'll be down more often and i've been calling every other day or so. Also planning to take a couple trips in the last few months she has left.

Sorry man

I don't talk much about my private life. When I have I could probably count on two fingers lol.

But I take care of my mother who have physical disabilities and now also has alzheimer's. So I'm around her every day, all day. 
Just lost my dad over the summer due to a horrific car wreck (back broke in 2 places, shattered pelvis, compound fracture of femure, brain bleed, bruised heart along with a heart attack - it was brutal). I had 2-1/2 weeks to say my last goodbyes. Wish I could talk to him, I'd give anything to hear him on the phone right now or to see him.

At the risk of sounding extremely trite and preachy, making the effort "now" is worth the while later in life. Don't convince yourself that "they know I love them" is equal to time spent. It's not.

With everything that's happened, I have made it a point to reach out to other family members that I haven't seen in decades, talk to closer family more often, go visit when I can, etc. It's a work in progress!

posted by CenterBHSFan

At the risk of sounding extremely trite and preachy, making the effort "now" is worth the while later in life. Don't convince yourself that "they know I love them" is equal to time spent. It's not.

 

This right here--I lost my dad when I was 30 (he was 55), and I still beat myself up at times because I took him being here for granted, never in my wildest dreams thinking he'd be gone so young. I think this is why I make it a point to see/talk to my kids and grand kids often...that, and I really enjoy them.

posted by Belly35

My daughter's call me everyday or my wife everyday. my two daughters usually call me before 8 in the morning and my other daughter calls me usually around 6 or 7 at night.... 

My wife calls her mom every night. But she calls her dad every morning, right after lunch, and as soon as the kids get home from school. It's crazy how close she is to her dad. It just got to where she'd call him like that since he retired back in March, but even while he was working they would talk on his lunch break everyday and on his way home from work.

Talk to my son every Sunday night.  It's the only day of the week he's got a few minutes to spare.  I talk to my daughter 1-2 times per week.

Back in my younger youth, my father wrote letters to his parents a couple times a month, like clockwork.  That's the U.S. Mail, to you whippersnappers.

Dad's 85 now, still lives one street over from me (where I grew up).  I visit 2x/week to sit and watch TV and chat.  I see him at football and basketball games, and track meets.  And I see him at church each Sunday.

No matter how much time I do spend with him, when he dies I'll regret it wasn't more.  So I savor the time now.  And he's telling stories about him and Mom that he never told us before - how they met at work, how some co-workers set them up on a date, details of their courtship and wedding, being newlyweds living with relatives and no money or job, etc.

My sons are 22 and 24, they see us as little as possible - but they'll text us in a heartbeat when they need something, lol.  Kinda like I was back then, except for the texting.

posted by justincredible

I realized on Sunday that it had been over a month or so since the last time I talked to my mom. I felt pretty crappy about that so I gave her a call. Typically it's every other week or so. We're 2.5 hours away from each other so we don't get to see each other as often as we would like. For those of you that aren't close, distance wise, how often do you call your parents/kids? 

i operate in a similar manner with my parents. 

we pretty much stay out of each others way unless we need something or have news to share.