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AIBU?

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Original poster

Does everyone have a family what's App Group.

206 replies

Sportslady44 · 03/03/2022 15:25

Does everyone have one?
If not have you opted out of it and how do people react if you do etc?

What is your situation re What's App?

OP posts:
Heatherjayne1972 · 03/03/2022 15:28

Oh dear no. No way -no one’s suggested it
Texting and phone calls are enough

Whetheryouthinkyoucan · 03/03/2022 15:28

We have a siblings one. It’s mainly for meeting up, sharing pictures as we don’t all do Facebook, and sending rude memes.

Dozycuntlaters · 03/03/2022 15:29

A family one in that its me, my brother and sister. Nightmare. Both of them have left at various points and then gone back on. Sometimes I just watch the drama unfold before my eyes but don't open the messages or respond. The only reason we started the group though was because my dad died and we have things to sort out. Once that is done (which will be bloody years yet) then I would just rather message them individually rather than on a family group. Avoid if you can.

Discwriter · 03/03/2022 15:30

I'm somehow on my DBs WhatsApp group with his inlaws and my parents. It's annoying getting notifications and updates from people I don't know, my parents said it will be offensive if I 'leave', so on mute now. Still annoys me.

Bayleaf25 · 03/03/2022 15:30

Yes but it’s quite low key, pictures of the kids, arrangements for meeting up, or silly memes.

TheUsualShitshow · 03/03/2022 15:30

Yes, I have a family one with my parents and brothers, and we have a family one, with DH and I and the kids.

MondeoFan · 03/03/2022 15:30

No not to my knowledge unless there is one and they have left me out

RedskyThisNight · 03/03/2022 15:31

We have one that's myself, DH and the DC.

Its the only way the DC will talk to us :)

(although they clearly don't use "old person" WhatsApp for anything else).

sweetbellyhigh · 03/03/2022 15:33

Yes we do but not everyone is in it. We just have a laugh, news we find funny, little check ins, bit of reminiscing about childhood

galacticpixels · 03/03/2022 15:33

We have one. It has my mum, me, my partner, brother, brother's wife, sister, and sister's partner. We live in 3 different cities and all work wildly different hours so it's handy.

It goes through phases of being used and not. Mostly it's pictures of my brother's children, added by his wife. I enjoy those. Also tidbits of news like "I got a new job/promotion" "passed my driving test" etc. Random holiday snaps.

Once or twice the group chat has led to minor arguments...

Original poster
Sportslady44 · 03/03/2022 15:34

When you mute notifications you still get 5hem come through don't you. It just doesn't make a notification sound but you still see it pop up.

OP posts:
noblegreenk · 03/03/2022 15:34

I don't.

ThatsNotMyGolem · 03/03/2022 15:36

Christ, no. I would rather press my hand onto a hot stove!

CMOTDibbler · 03/03/2022 15:36

No. In fact I'm not in any Whats App groups at all

Deliaskis · 03/03/2022 15:36

Yes several.

One with DH, DD, my parents and my sister and partner and kids, which is for things like sharing pics of sports day/performance or even just look how muddy nephew got when he fell in a puddle yesterday type stuff. Also when we're on family holiday and we're doing separate things but meeting up later.

One with just my parents and DH and me to arrange more regular local stuff (they do some childcare for DD and we go to local events together sometimes etc.).

One with just my DH, DD, my sister and her DD because we all share a hobby and go to events together sometimes.

One with DH's wider family started in lockdown to just stay in touch...some of the people were quite isolated during lockdown so the level of chat was increased to help them stay connected.

One with just DH, DD and me.

All of these have just replaced texting or plugged the social media gap for the older relatives who aren't on fb etc. We still call and see each other in person when relevant. There's no drama or leaving and coming back or anything.

Bawheed · 03/03/2022 15:36

We do. I set it when I was planning my wedding which was taking place abroad. It was easier to put all updates on their rather than answer everyone's similar questions individually. There's only 11 of us on it (well, 10 now as DB took himself out 😂). I've been married almost 4 years now and since the wedding it's used probably 2/3 times a week for sharing pictures and memes.

Sh05 · 03/03/2022 15:37

We have a siblings group then just us sisters plus one with my sis in laws and brother in law.
One of my sil's regularly leaves and joins but no drama really.we share updates regarding kids, wordle (more recently) and arrange meet ups at mum's.
We're not on each other's social media

purplecorkheart · 03/03/2022 15:37

We have one that includes my parents, some of my aunts and uncles and some cousins. It is mainly used for photos or general family news. It can go days and days without being updated.

Chishnfips · 03/03/2022 15:38

No, never used whatsapp.

twinkie100 · 03/03/2022 15:38

Yes. One with my parents and sibling. One with my husbands parent and sibling. Kill me 😂😂

twinkie100 · 03/03/2022 15:39

Oh god and one will my siblings and closest cousins (who are kind of like more siblings to me).

Honestly KILL ME it's too much.

Isgooglebroken · 03/03/2022 15:39

No.
We all have individual ones and message each other that way.

DoorLion · 03/03/2022 15:39

No. My parents don't have WhatsApp. I use WhatsApp to message my sisters if I want to tell them something but it's not a chat group. We tend to use FB messenger to chat with my Mum, she will randomly message one of us, all of us, two of us, whatever.

Grinling · 03/03/2022 15:41

@Whetheryouthinkyoucan

We have a siblings one. It’s mainly for meeting up, sharing pictures as we don’t all do Facebook, and sending rude memes.
Yes, us too. None of us do FB, so it's sometimes used to make plans, or to say things about parents, but mostly it's stuff we think the others might find amusing. There's also another group which is siblings + our dad (mum doesn't do tech). That is slightly less foul-mouthed than the siblings-only group.

Neither of them are very busy -- days will go by with no one posting, and certainly no one gets annoyed if people don't respond, or opt out.

PercyPiginaWig · 03/03/2022 15:41

Yes, I'm in one for my family including parents and siblings and spouses and a separate one with my sisters.
The big one is pretty nice chit chat, no pressure to reply but my parents are retired now and share all kinds of memes that their friends send them.
There's another big group of the aunts and uncles which is generally used occasionally for sharing family news, can go weeks without a message but then if it's someone's birthday people send good wishes or if a new baby is born they share photos.

Also in DH's family WhatsApp group which includes children too young to even have WhatsApp along with his siblings, spouses, nieces and nephews.

I am happy to be in the groups, I can ignore messages if they don't interest me.