To be worried about leaving daughter after weird phone call

[Bednobsbroomsticks]

DD is 16. Me and DH are away tonight visiting family and she didn't want to come so staying home. DG live only minutes away but we will be staying quite a long way away
Midnight last night the landline rang so I jumped up to answer thinking something awful had happened and there was a crazed man on other end telling me he was ringing to spread the word of God. Told him to f off and put phone down. Dh was here but freaked me right out . Worried now about leaving DD for the night incase it happens again when we aren't here and she picks up phone and gets scared like I did. Do I warn her what happened as she heard the phone go last night? Do i unplug landline and still go? Might seem silly but will be here first night on her own and don't want her freaking out here on her own. Wwyd? I know unlikely to happen twice and prob just kids messing about. Is this a dare anyone else had this?

I'd tell her what had happened, and suggest unplug the landline to her (or silencing it if that's an option). See what she wants to do.

If your child isn't steady enough to cope with a random phone call, then perhaps she isn't ready to be left.

However, perhaps just mention you got a prank call, and you put the phone down. It may be worth a discussion.

On that note- telling someone to fuck off 1) isn't necessary and 2) isn't the best way to handle it as it could invite further calls

Ok thank you didn't know whether to tell her or not. Think will def unplug landline

Yeh I thought t

Ugh yes I thought that afterwards but was so panicked thinking something had happened to someone and he made me angry

It wasn't a random phone call it was at midnight and quite scary

I would mention it to her and probably unplug it if she has a mobile to hand.
Did you do 1471 to get the number?

I used to have a woman ring at all hours of the night ranting and raging.
I put my alarm on for 4am one morning and rang her with my number withheld. When she answered, I asked how she liked being woken at an ungodly hour and I hope she had a lovely day.

The daft bat never rang again!
And that prompted me to ditch the landline.

Was there a 1571 option to check the number that called?

I’d just unplug the phone tbh.

Hahah that's brilliant well done. Yes did 1471 withheld number. Sounded like someone local. Either a joke or someone having an episode but he sounded completely unhinged. If it had been in the day would have felt less weird. That's awful you went through that. People are bizarre

I’d be scared if I got a call like that in the middle of the night so doesn’t mean she isn’t ready to be left. Ask her what she wants to do - could she have a friend over to stay with her, nothing is as scary if you have company.

Thanks guys. Will tell her prank call won't say what and unplug phone xxxx

Thank you isolated I don't freak out easily but did frighten me the way he was talking. I'll sound her out and see what she says .

As long as you tell her the landline is unplugged because it would be scarier to find you haven’t got a phone line. ( I’d be imagining someone cutting it as seen in every scary film)

Oh yes you are right. Yes will do

I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving her tbh....they had your number from somewhere. Very strange

Or they just dialled random numbers. I used to do it as kid.

Don’t unplug the phone just tell her not to answer any calls at that time.

Presumably at 16 she has a mobile phone? Unplug the landline (don't know anyone these days who uses theirs). If you need her or she needs anyone she can use her mobile.

If you tell her it was a prank call then tell her it was someone 'spreading the word'. Less frightening then worry what else it could have been.

Unplug the phone so it doesn't ring? If you rely on it for an alarm system etc most phones have a mute function.

Dialled random numbers or still in the phone book?

Tell her you had a prank call, Tell her to ignore the landline after10pm, if you need her you'll ring her mobile, she can still ring out then.

conditioning women to be polite - even to an univited caller who has scared them..! ridiculous. If you're going to ring random houses and rant down the phone you should be prepared to be told to fuck off.

Yep, and having OP’s number doesn’t mean they know where OP lives to scare her daughter in person. I don’t think this prank call should mean she can’t be left alone. It’s overwhelmingly unlikely it would transpire to

personally I don’t see the point in a landline phone. As long as she can be contacted by her own phone, there’s no issue with unplugging the landline or putting it on silent. Just tell the people who contact you via landline to contact you by phone instead.

It’s overwhelmingly unlikely it would transpire to anything

Kinda missing the point.
This isn't an exercise in feminism, it is about a child feeling safe.