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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
MayLeaveADentInYourSofa · 03/03/2022 18:27

Yes. Quite a few.

Immediate family (ie, me, spouse & kids)
My family
DH's family
DH's siblings
My siblings
My siblings plus mum
My siblings plus dad
Me, my mum, my DD (three generation group)
Me, my mum, my sister (group that is most busy because we 'check in' daily

Also, two more groups in my immediate family - one to discuss suggestions for outings, and another to discuss decoration/renovation ideas.

We are living over a few different time zones, caring for elderly family members, got an upcoming wedding and new baby due in the family. It is a great way for updates and at times that work for the person sending it. Staying in touch with family overseas was a lot harder before Whatsapp.

MoonriseKingdom · 03/03/2022 18:32
  1. Me, DH, my parents and brother
  2. Me, DH, SIL and BIL
Chat, news, photos, memes. My family one is more active but that’s partly because we live further away and see them less often. Never any stress or falling out. I was in a group with DHs wider family when my MIL was very sick which I found quite stressful but it was very useful for co-ordinating things and keeping people updated.
Zazdar · 03/03/2022 18:34

I have one with my mother and siblings in it. My father doesn’t have a smartphone and my husband just doesn’t do social media.

ThinWomansBrain · 03/03/2022 18:58

I only talk to my sister - and she doesn't have an android phone or iPhone, so no.
In one for my apartment block, and another for the community garden

RonCarlos · 03/03/2022 19:05

I am in one for family including children, for picture sharing. I left an adults one. I prefer to make arrangements individually. Such a relief.

NopeNoNope · 03/03/2022 19:07

@ESGdance

Hilarious one which “D”B set up - he posts rubbish - no one ever responds.

Cringe for him.

Also my sister set one up and another sister flounced and she insists on adding her back in!! Can you stop someone doing that?

Block them.
fairylightsandwaxmelts · 03/03/2022 19:08

Nope.

Most of my extended family don't do social media and and neither my IL's or my dad even own a mobile phone.

The only family member I speak to on WhatsApp is my SIL as we often meet to walk the dogs during the week and share photos/locations on there.

fishonabicycle · 03/03/2022 19:10

Yes - me, husband, grown up step son and daughter, university age son.

PiffleWiffleWoozle · 03/03/2022 19:14

I never check WhatsApp groups and usually archive them. I got added to a family group and then left because people were offended I didn’t check messages quickly, or assumed I had read them.

Mommabear20 · 03/03/2022 19:16

We have one on my DH side, his parents, 3 siblings and their partners and us. It's great for arranging family catch ups (this only happens for birthdays) but when there's 13 of us that's quite often 😂 and it's nice to be able to just send 1 message instead of multiple individual ones

TwoCoffeesPlease · 03/03/2022 19:33

Multiple family WhatsApp’s:

  • Me, DBx2 and DPs (this is the main one)
  • Siblings (for complaining about DPs)
  • cousins (also for complaining about DPs)
  • siblings, cousins, DPs, cousins DPs and DGrandad (for sharing important family news and arranging bigger meet ups)
-Me DBx2, DPs, DMs Brother + Wife (family news with other side of family) -Me, DB and DSIL [married] (not sure why we have this one really but we do use it) -Me DSIL and DB [not married to DSIL] (mostly for sharing news and pictures of DNiblings) -Me and DPs (because I feel bad about texting my mum so much more than my dad so now I just message them both together)

I believe my DPs also have one with the parents of my Dcousins.

They are all fairly active although some much more than others - sometimes you want to moan about other family members or discuss something with one particular section of the family but writing them all down it does seem a bit excessive.

luckylavender · 03/03/2022 21:18

No

Itsbackagain · 03/03/2022 21:24

Sibling WA created during lockdown. Was only used a few times.

Fairislefandango · 03/03/2022 21:29

Yes, a few. None of them super-busy. No pressure to post regularly. All relaxed chat and utterly unproblematic.

DogsAndGin · 03/03/2022 21:32

DH has about 10 diff WhatsApp groups with every different configuration of family members in each one Confused eg all the fam except me, all the fam except DS, all the fam except parents. I don’t want to be part of any of them! Grin

GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal · 03/03/2022 21:35

We've got four! Two for DH's family, because his parents are divorced but both want updates on the grandkids; and two for mine, because my mum's brothers aren't on speaking terms and won't be in the same group. Hmm

SockQueen · 03/03/2022 21:37
  1. Me, DH, parents, my sister and BiL
  2. Me, DH, MiL, DH's brother and wife. FiL doesn't have a smartphone.

They're both pretty low key, sharing photos every few days and chatting a bit. It's been really useful when e.g. my dad was in hospital, so we all got be information at once rather than having to relay it on. I like them!

Thatsplentyjack · 03/03/2022 21:37

No. My mum and dad are separated and don't have new partners (my dad can barely text one person never mind figure out a group chat) and there's only me and my brother and we generally oy ever text about our parents or birthday and Christmas presents etc.

Thatsplentyjack · 03/03/2022 21:38

I do have one with dp and the kids bur we never use it.

Lesserspottedmama · 03/03/2022 21:39

Oh god, avoid! I got added into one with DH family and it was awful. Just completely inane and moronic drivel. I left it, with a very polite, plausible excuse - and they all were mighty offended. I’m so glad I did though, it’s bad enough to have to suffer their company in person.

Toddlerteaplease · 03/03/2022 21:39

Yep. But my mum is a technophobe, so will
Often reply to a conversation several days later and it gets confusing. 🤣

StarCourt · 03/03/2022 21:40

We have a family group on messenger. The whole of my mums side of the family.siblings, cousins, nieces and nephews. Parents. Grandparents aunts and uncles

We all use it daily and occasionally for group video chats and quizzes

sjxoxo · 03/03/2022 21:45

We have one- my parents, me & DH and then my brothers and their girlfriends. We love it, but we are all very close and good sense of humour. Use it for general chat and jokes but it gets used most days. We are often compared to the family from Friday night dinners..! All a bit silly 😬

ukborn · 03/03/2022 21:47

I do, but it's just me and my two sisters. My parents are no longer alive and it wasn't a thing when they were. We live in different countries so works well with the time difference. We post a few fun things but mainly to convey news and discuss family business. Works very well. We also all have individual WhatsApp so if we need to discuss something personal, or something the other sibling is not interested in, we use that. I used to get one of them complaining about the other but not any more.

teaandtoastwithmarmite · 03/03/2022 21:49

I'm on one with my DH's family. He has one with his siblings and another with siblings and his mum and stepdad. Not sure why there is so many. I don't have one as I'm not from a big close family, my mum is 81 and my DB doesn't do WhatsApp