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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that you don't need to text someone to tel them that you've emailed them?!

45 replies

TeddyBear5 · 15/04/2015 20:40

I'll try to be a bit vague as I know this person is doing a nice thing, and I don't wish to hurt any feelings.

My sons attend a class which is run by volunteers. They do all the admin via email and there's a fair bit of it, at least once a week of things which require action from me and other parents or just general information. Every. Single. Email. is followed up by a text 30 seconds later telling me there's an email. I believe they work (assumption of course) and this is always done either early in the morning, before 7am or late ish (after 10pm) and it's annoying! I've never not responded on time to the emails.

Yes I do have more important things to worry about. yes I am thankful for their time and effort to the class. Yes it's very minor and a non issue. But my god it's annoying!

OP posts:
ImNameyChangey · 15/04/2015 20:42

I suppose they find some people don't check emails for weeks...and that causes bother.

My DDs school sends texts like this "there may be snow tomorrow...in which case we will text in the morning to advise about any closures."

SO TEXT IN THE MORNING THEN!! I feel like shouting. There's no need to tell us you MAY text tomorrow!!

Original poster
TeddyBear5 · 15/04/2015 20:50

Don't they have to pay for those parent mail texts? Could save themselves a few bob!

OP posts:
bananayellow · 15/04/2015 20:53

People don't alawys check their emails regularly. like me

Yabu

BreconBeBuggered · 15/04/2015 20:55

I know a fair few parents who don't check their emails daily.

I'd be more likely to need an email to remind me to check my phone. Belt and braces.

Hassled · 15/04/2015 20:56

I'd imagine it's a routine borne out of frustration at other parents not reading their emails and thus not doing whatever it is they're being asked. It's a belt and braces approach which is annoying to those who do read emails, but essential otherwise.

It could be worse - FIL rings me up to tell me he's emailed me :o

Original poster
TeddyBear5 · 15/04/2015 21:05

They could text the repeat offenders and leave me alone Wink

OP posts:
feministdog · 15/04/2015 21:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

redskybynight · 15/04/2015 21:43

I also run a volunteer group and send out all info by email and I can assure you that plenty of people do not check their email even once a week. And it's probably easier for them to just text everyone than sit and work out every time who hasn't replied.

Original poster
TeddyBear5 · 15/04/2015 22:00

Why not all the info in the first place then? I genuinely do not see the need to double on communication methods.

OP posts:
Original poster
TeddyBear5 · 15/04/2015 22:01

Text! Missed the vital word out!

Why not text all the info in the first place? That should say...

OP posts:
londonrach · 15/04/2015 22:02

Yabu i do that for my parents or else is never get a response....

Original poster
TeddyBear5 · 15/04/2015 22:04

But londonrach do you also text people who are prompt in their responses to your emails? Because honestly I reply on time to deadlines given!

OP posts:
BackforGood · 15/04/2015 22:04

If You don't see why, then you've clearly not run a group where you need replies back from people. Wink

You'd be amazed how many people expect you to know their personal preferences for communication, and to do sep. methods for each parent. Because obviously the volunteers don't have anything better to do than keep a spreadsheet of everyone's preferences Hmm

When my dc were at cubs and there was an event coming up they would

  1. Tell the cubs
  2. Shout out to parents in the foyer at collection time
3.Write it on a whiteboard propped up where the parents collected from 4.Send an e-mail
  1. Put it on the Group website
and
  1. Send a text

They'd still get people saying the didn't know about it !!!! Shock

wowfudge · 15/04/2015 22:08

I work with someone who rings me to tell me she's just emailed me....

Original poster
TeddyBear5 · 15/04/2015 22:09

If You don't see why, then you've clearly not run a group where you need replies back from people. Wink

Ironically I do! I'm a cm and always have information and paperwork to get to parents. But I email. Or text. Or phone. And only one of these things Smile

A few weeks of leaving their child out of an activity should fix it Wink

OP posts:
redskybynight · 15/04/2015 22:20

that's the point though OP - it's because the organisers don't want to leave your child out of the activity that they make best endeavours to make sure you get the message! And even the most organised of parents can sometimes slip up and miss a communication.

ragged · 15/04/2015 22:23

I receive texts and emails to tell me about letters that DD is bringing home from high school (email has the same letter as attachment). I wish that DS's high school did email+text (I find his letters 3 months late in buried blazer pocket).

I understand. I have to do this with my boss to make him read the emails (sigh). I never met anyone else with such prodigious talent for ignoring emails. I don't have a smart phone and am world's slowest texter, so text can't be a full message like email is, merely a nag.

Noodledoodledoo · 15/04/2015 22:30

I have run various groups over the years and have also sent a text to say an email has been sent as many people do not check email regularly and we don't want people to miss out.

When I am dealing with a group of 34 people its quicker to send a group text to everyone than try to work out who I think is rubbish at checking emails.

I run a group at school (secondary) and we had a complaint from a parent as information had not been recieved about things - her son stood there and said he didn't listen in assembly when I had given the info out and she said she hadn't checked her email for 4 months! Any letters given to the son had vanished! We were the ones at fault as apparently we should have called her!!!

Loletta · 15/04/2015 22:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Silverdaisy · 15/04/2015 22:33

I appreciate a text to know about an email. I only check emails every so often.

Silverdaisy · 15/04/2015 22:36

My text messages come straight through. Very rarely spam. I have set my emails to come through only when I choose to check them. It save on battery life.

ragged · 15/04/2015 22:38

... You haven't met my boss, Loletta :). The best bit is that there's a management rule that people on his Paygrade have to read & reply to emails in X many hours unless on annual leave. He clearly doesn't give a Monkeys.

I think DD only checks her emails about once a month, but she reads every text too.

I'm the weirdo who only turns on my phone a few times a week whereas I check emails many times a day.

BackforGood · 15/04/2015 22:48

Yes, but as a CM, you are presumably only communicating with about 3 families, not 30; you don't have so much stuff to send out; and, most pertinently, you will see the family each and every day they drop their dc off and again when they collect them. Hardly the same as a cub Leader with 28 cubs, 3 of whom might have been away, 9 of whose parents don't pick them up, another 8 parents stay in the cars, etc.,etc.

They could just text the whole thing in the first place. There isn't that much difference between text and email anymore

There's a MASSIVE difference. I have I think it's 132 characters on a text - infinite on an e-mail.
I can copy and paste chunks of info on an e-mail, but can't on a text. I can do links on an e-mail or attach documents or maps or pictures none of which I can do on a text.

and who are all these people that check emails once a week but are on the ball with texts?

Er... all the people who carry a mobile phone (hence getting texts) but have their e-mails only come in to their PCs.... a considerable number, possibly the majority of people.

My dc now rarely check their e-mails, as they tend to use FB / Messenger / Twitter / Instagram / WhatsApp / other social media I've not caught up with yet. If I want to send them a larger amount of info, or an attachment, I will text them to tell them to look at their e-mails.

Loletta · 15/04/2015 22:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BackforGood · 15/04/2015 23:01

Well, horses for courses. Smile

There are 5 smartphone owners in this house, and none of us get our e-mails on them.

To my mind, the beauty of e-mails is that they aren't intruding when you are doing other things - you can sit down at a time that suits you and delete read through all the stuff you get sent when you have an hour to do so. Then I can deal with them, type out information I need to send on a proper qwerty keyboard, or move ones I need to keep into the right folders,, etc.,etc.

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