To get fed up with my 11 year old cousin constantly texting me?

[HarlowTulip]

About 2 year ago my 11 year old cousin and her mother asked for my mobile number. She had just got her first phone and it was a novelty.

She has recently got a more advanced phone and the text of "hi" every other day is starting to get on my nerves so much. Once I replied hi and have a good weekend and she said you too - 10 minutes later she texts me hi but on whatsapp!

Aibu I'm 25 and have nothing in common with a 12 year old and I'm getting pretty annoyed now with how constant it is, aibu?

My 11 year niece does this. It's adorable and irritating.

We usually send a few texts to and fro but if it's not at a good time I just ignore her . It's no biggie. (And I'm guessing she will get bored)

OP Yabu

It takes all of three seconds to reply with Hi and a smiley face. Thats less than a minute a month.

Yabu.

I remember my sister going through that stage and I always made an effort to talk. Now she never messages me

why not take charge of the conversation?

baby cousin :Hi
MeanOldCousin : Hi, how are you?/School/dog/cat
baby cousin: fine/ordinary/we don't have a dog...not since it ate the cat
MeanOldCousin: LOL... and listen, am really busy for the next couple of days so don't text me again til Sunday morning and I'll have time for more of a chat xx

YABU! Treat her as if you're her big sister..maybe she see's you in a similar way to that! She is your cousin fgs and is trying to make some kind of connection. I've only got back in touch with my cousin for the first time in years, in recent months, and he is there for me whenever I need to chat..even though we don't know each other that well and he's some years older..we are family at the end of the day.

I think you're being mean.

As others have said just wait a few hours to text back if you're busy.

I think it's nice, by the time she's 16 you probably won't hear from her.

And you haven't got to say how's school every time use your imagination. You could just send a smiley face or a heart or kiss. You just just say 'hi, hope you're having a nice day'. Or tell her what you're doing hi watching TV/hi going for a walk/hi at work.

A few times a week isn't loads.

She probably sees her peers constantly texting and wishes she had as many friends as they appear to do. It sounds like she is feeling a little left out.

Every 2-3 days is hardly an invasion into your life is it? It takes seconds to reply with a smiley face. Your tolerance level towards her seems very low

God aren't kids annoying?

My goddaughter used to do this, and yes it's irritating. But I still replied.

She's practising her communication skills, which are massively important for the future.

You're right Cool.

My niece is 4 and I would be really honoured if she did this to me when she is older. My youngest sister in law and I used to text a lot from when she was about 13 and we are still really close now. She is like my own sister. I hope when my children are older they can have a close 'big sister' or ' big brother' relationship with people in their family.

My dd is 11 and her phone is full of unanswered Hi messages. It's what they do at that age. At least, her friends do, she is a bit vague and uninterested in her phone. And you can be sure that they'll have texted Hi to about 12 other people too.

She probably won't notice if you don't always respond, but a kind question every now and then will make her feel good.

I don't really like texting (social anxiety) but I don't think a few times a week counts as 'constantly' really.

I would just humour it if you're not actually busy at the time - if you are busy, there's nothing wrong with just not opening the message (I don't even have my phone on me all the time anyway especially when I'm at home, it gets left in my coat/bag)

But I think it's worth replying when you can, you never know you could be the cool older cousin she looks up to and who she tells if she's worried about something and doesn't want to tell her parents.

Being a bit mean kids that age look up to older cousins.

Och shes 12 and likes you of course you can ask how school is kids don't know how to text like we do they send Hii's and kk's all over the place she is your little cousin say hi every few days and stop being so bloody grumpy.

I think you're very grumpy- poor girl's trying to engage with you and you'd like to tell her to piss off. Lovely. What a nice cousin you are. How about chatting to her about music, boys, jokes, banter... You know- be nice to her. I bet she'd be made up.

Ask her if she's done her homework
Or tidied her room
Or sorted her laundry
Or read her library book
Or brought to dog for a walk
Or done her piano practice
Or learned her theorems
Or finished her project
Or washed behind her ears..

She'll soon stop texting that 'old nag, her aunty'!!

Oops cousin!

Not being rude, but you want to get a life if you get "pretty annoyed" over a little girl texting to say "Hi", it would make me smile personally and brighten up my day if I was feeling low. I have far worse fish to fry in my life and far more important things to get annoyed with!!

12 yr old are quite content with a hi then smiley how is that to much trouble for you

I would be annoyed at it because at least we managed a proper conversation on msn when we were that age and also because its literally just "hi", its a word that annoys me, "Hey" or "hello" is fine so that would frustrate me
BUT
just talk to her like she's an adult, like, "what did you do this weekend?" "oh thats good I did this this this, looking forward to school" sort of thing. just talk to her she obviously wants to talk to you.

It won't last. I love when my nieces and nephews text or message me. One in particular was like your cousin when she first had a phone. Roll on a year or two, not a word from her. It may be that she sees others constantly messaging, and wants to look cool too, or something. She might be a little bit lonely. Just reply when you can, ask her something lighthearted, or mention a film, or book, just to keep the contact.