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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:
Cornishmumofone · 03/03/2022 21:58

I have a long iMessage chat with my brother, sister and mum. We all use iPhones and as we're in different countries (UK and Australia) we rarely speak on the phone.

PermanentTemporary · 03/03/2022 22:00

A cousins' one. All OK and low key until one of us had a psychotic breakdown on the group and nobody's posted since. Tbh social media would make anyone crazy.

Chloemol · 03/03/2022 22:08

Family one that includes

Sibling one of me and my sisters

Works well

Chloemol · 03/03/2022 22:08

Sorry family one includes everyone

Kite22 · 03/03/2022 22:18

Yes. Several different combinations of people.
Find them incredibly useful.

NeedAHoliday2021 · 03/03/2022 22:19

We message separately but have a group set up when planning something. But I post pics of dc on Fb so they all see them there.

Luredbyapomegranate · 03/03/2022 22:22

Close family yes. It’s useful,

entropynow · 03/03/2022 22:23

No. If I want to speak to my sibling or adult children I call them

TheOrigRights · 03/03/2022 22:28

@entropynow

No. If I want to speak to my sibling or adult children I call them
Of course. I imagine most people do that, they are not mutually exclusive. A group chat allows for a conversation with more than one person at once.
TheRealityCheque · 03/03/2022 22:32

@Deliaskis

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.

This is us, also.

Drama Llamas will find a way, it's caused by them, not the platform.

Oh, and OP UABU for using a space in WhatsApp.

Exhausteddog · 03/03/2022 22:41

We have one with me, DH, DD(15) and DS (12) . We use for communicating when we are at work and to let kids know when we will be home, they ask if friends can come over or let us know what they are doing.

We also have one with my IL there are 14 of us in it. (DS isn't in that one) One person in particular, posts loads of random pictures and rubbish usually at silly o'clock clock in the morning. DH got so pee-ed off with it, he left the group, but one of his siblings reinstated him!🤣🤣

Tenksbutnotenks · 03/03/2022 23:01

I have one with my DPs, siblings (and some of their partners have slowly been added), their kids and a dear uncle.

I have another with all my siblings (except one as he's a miserable git) and we chat on there quite a bit about anything and everything, share pictures of the kids and funny videos/memes. We know it's mean excluding one person and have contemplated adding miserable sibling but it will change the dynamics of the group.

I have a group with my cousins.

I have another group with my SILs.

We all get on and it's fun. The groups have gone a little quiet in recent months but anything important is always shared.

Kite22 · 03/03/2022 23:27

@entropynow

No. If I want to speak to my sibling or adult children I call them
But that way only 2 of you can be in the conversation. Useful when you are trying to arrange something to be able to all input.

Also, useful that I can leave a message when I am awake and they can read it and reply when they are awake, and not in work / lectures / with friends / playing sport / or the 101 other times when one or the other of us couldn't answer or make a call

Also can share a picture, or a link to some useful information one of us needs.

Also useful for sharing information that I might need later - like a postcode or address, or a reference number etc etc

BabyTurtIe · 03/03/2022 23:30

No but then my family don’t get on so 🤷‍♀️

Walkingalot · 03/03/2022 23:41

God no! Unless you are the Walton's and all get on brilliantly.
I was in a group hobby WhatsApp and politely said that I'm sorry but I can't keep up with everything and excused myself. I then did 1to1 chats instead.

GTAlogic · 03/03/2022 23:49

No. Constant notifications would do my head in so I'd turn them off and the forget about the group and never check it! We're a relatively close family but aren't in constant contact with reach other.

Hoolihan · 03/03/2022 23:55

Yes, a few with various combos of family members. I really like WhatsApp and use it all the time for making arrangements, sharing photos, chit chat etc. I only make phone calls in dire emergencies!

RampantIvy · 03/03/2022 23:56

No.

BuddhaForMary · 03/03/2022 23:59

I did one for me and my DC and they all left it..'no one uses WhatsApp anymore mum..' 🙄

So in answer to your question OP, no we don't have one.

Sweetandsaltycaroline · 04/03/2022 00:08

@BuddhaForMary 🤣🤣

My teen uses WhatsApp but I'm constantly berated for using full stops. It's just habit, I have to really concentrate not to!

regjamesanddemons · 04/03/2022 00:09

No, only friends ones

baggies · 04/03/2022 00:11

Yes. I set it up when my brother and his wife went on a 3 month holiday so we could share their experiences and keep in touch. They came home slightly early as Covid had just started and it proved a godsend for us all to share stuff. My dad is 90 and has loved it. All the grandchildren are on it as well as my siblings and wives. It doesn't replace a phone call or obviously seeing each other but it is very useful.

NeverChange · 04/03/2022 00:29

Yes, probably too many.

1 with parents & all siblings

1 with just siblings

1 with just female siblings

1 with all but one sibling because she's on a different planet to the rest of us! (I didn't set it up but it's so much easier not to have her included)

1 large one with all cousins on my father's side (used for Christmas, family gatherings, engagements, no every day chit chat).

I'm sure there are ones without me too!

AuntTwacky · 04/03/2022 00:53

Several for me too

SingingSands · 04/03/2022 01:11

Oh god we have one - the four of us, and my parents. I had to tell my mum off during first lockdown for sending inappropriate memes. She had just joined Facebook and was sharing all sorts. I could roll my eyes at it but for the sake of the kids I had to have words. Nobody wants to read a dirty sex joke shared by Granny 🙈

My parents also have a whatsapp group for my brother and his gf. And a third whatsapp group for just them and my brother's dogs - this is their favourite group 😂

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