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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Really put off by friends who you have to schedule 3 -4 months in advance

234 replies

offputtt · 23/09/2022 19:34

Just to see for a lunch or a coffee..

I've got a couple of these and it's happened 2-3 times now that when talking about meeting, I've been given those time lines. I remember discussing last September and being told January might be good, as ' all booked up until then '..

I just completely lose interest in people who need that much notice, as it doesn't feel like I'm any kind of priority to them whatsoever. So why should I make any kind of effort to attend special events for them ?

Or another one told me she couldn't come to my DS birthday because her DS had a swimming lesson that day. Why should I make any effort, if they've shown me none ?

Or is it immature ? I'm just so done with putting effort in.

OP posts:
RampantIvy · 24/09/2022 09:09

I don't think I lead a busy life, then I had a think about what I did in the last week.

Saturday: charity coffee morning, friends for dinner in the evening (organised the day before)
Sunday: took DD back to university city
Monday: watched the funeral and had a lazy day
Tuesday: WFH, exercise class in the evening
Wednesday: went into the office to work
Thursday: WFH, friends round in the evening for pot luck supper (arranged several months previously)
Friday: a non work day. Shopping am and visited a sick friend pm
Today: no plans
Tomorrow: walk with charity group I belong to

I don't feel like I live a busy life at all.

KILM · 24/09/2022 09:13

So for the people who think its rude, what would you do if you had a holiday booked one week, a wedding away the next, a trip to the grandparents the next, then you got invited to a festival on the next weekend saturday and a bbq the sunday, would you say no so you were free in case someone wants to make plans? Would you have turned down the wedding invite? What if you are a single parent working full time with no easy childcare outside those hours? Genuinely curious what you expect people to do - an hour here, half an hour there is understandable but some people have circumstances and lives that are very busy and i wouldnt expect my best mate to get up early on a saturday for an hours coffee catchup after working all week and having to wrangle two kids off to the grandparents at 11am just so i could see her in that week rather than 3 weeks time when we could go for lunch....

2000lightyearsaway123 · 24/09/2022 09:17

Are the friends all local?

I have some further away friends who I have to be a bit like that with because getting there and back takes quite a while.

Softplayhooray · 24/09/2022 09:18

Yeah I find it obnoxious and anal. Who the hell doesn't have a free weekend for a coffee for the next 3 months unless they are the the Pope or something? I would also think that scheduling people into their diary and offering a slot as if they're your senior manager is also very twattish. It'd put me right off ever seeing them again.

Navigatingnewwaters · 24/09/2022 09:24

It’s the terminology I find obnoxious and arrogant ‘Booking’ ‘Offer you a hour’ and ‘I don’t know what I’m doing yet’ (with no detail that is just so rude)

sammylady37 · 24/09/2022 09:32

Softplayhooray · 24/09/2022 09:18

Yeah I find it obnoxious and anal. Who the hell doesn't have a free weekend for a coffee for the next 3 months unless they are the the Pope or something? I would also think that scheduling people into their diary and offering a slot as if they're your senior manager is also very twattish. It'd put me right off ever seeing them again.

I posted earlier about my plans for the nexr few months. Here it is again:

1 wedding abroad
1 university reunion
1 weekend away with a friend (has been planned since June)
1 work conference abroad
3 with elderly parent
1 family visiting me
1 concert (involves a night away)
1 friend visiting me

So, out of 10 consecutive weekends, I’ll be at home for 2 of them and on those 2 there will be guests at my home. So, if someone suggested going out for lunch or coffee, I’m just not free. I’m not being obnoxious, rude, anal, disrespectful or any other insult of choice, it’s just the way things are panning out at the moment.

pastypirate · 24/09/2022 09:37

Yabu.
I've just told dd2 she's not missing a single dance lesson this term as I've paid £259 for the term. It's gone up a lot. I would be the same about swimming lessons or any paid activities. It's a lot of money.

RedAppleGirl · 24/09/2022 09:47

We're hectic atm too.
Working 6-7 days a week till Xmas.
Renovation, delays, organizing, it's full on.
Funeral.
Weddings.
Family visiting.
Obligations with the kids.
Ongoing medical issues.
The dog is dying slowly, in and out of the vets.
Ongoing issues with both vehicles.
Elderly parents need more support.

Life is quite overwhelming. Not a lot of headspace to rest and recuperate, all feels a tad suffocating. Unfortunately, friends are being neglected atm.

SleepingStandingUp · 24/09/2022 09:51

Softplayhooray · 24/09/2022 09:18

Yeah I find it obnoxious and anal. Who the hell doesn't have a free weekend for a coffee for the next 3 months unless they are the the Pope or something? I would also think that scheduling people into their diary and offering a slot as if they're your senior manager is also very twattish. It'd put me right off ever seeing them again.

Thing is if you're single and child free and it a carer, then it's your sole decision to be that booked up (allowing for work) but I can't do anything this weekend without my kids this weekend as DH is away. He has a gig in two weeks. DS has after school club Tuesday and Wednesdays but could easily be a Saturday. How is it fair to cancel my child's lessons so I can go hang with my mates for coffee? I wouldn't let them cancel their lessons to hang with their mates for pop

SleepingStandingUp · 24/09/2022 09:53

RedAppleGirl · 24/09/2022 09:47

We're hectic atm too.
Working 6-7 days a week till Xmas.
Renovation, delays, organizing, it's full on.
Funeral.
Weddings.
Family visiting.
Obligations with the kids.
Ongoing medical issues.
The dog is dying slowly, in and out of the vets.
Ongoing issues with both vehicles.
Elderly parents need more support.

Life is quite overwhelming. Not a lot of headspace to rest and recuperate, all feels a tad suffocating. Unfortunately, friends are being neglected atm.

And a hood friend will recognise that not go "omg I'm not her No1 priority, she's a bitch, I'm never wattsapping her again".
We have a girls weekend, one can't commit until the actual weekend because of how life is atm. It isn't personal about us, it's about her. And we love her so we'll still be here when she's available

Meseekslookatme · 24/09/2022 10:04

Life IS busy.
Step families mean there's often more than 2 sets of grandparents to take into consideration now. My partner's parents live far enough that it's a weekend out of every month.
I don't tend to bother much with friends that have young kids as EVERYTHING has to revolve around them. I won't do coffee in that case, it's adult stuff or nothing. So that restricts it further.
I have probably 3 weekends between now and the new year and I'll be spending those snuggled up enjoying time with my partner. I'm not totally inflexible, but I won't cancel plans for "a coffee" unless there's more to it (friend upset, need to talk, unwind advice etc.)

EfficientDynamics · 24/09/2022 10:13

We know a couple like this. We invest very little time in to the friendship. If they ask to meet we'll ask them what dates they can do and then see if we're free

If we were to contact them and ask when they're free we'd get about one or two days in the next three months

Far too much effort so we just leave it to them to contact us, if they do they do, if they don't then we're not fussed

RampantIvy · 24/09/2022 10:17

I think the problem is that often the advice on MN when you want to phase someone out of your life is to always be too busy to see them, so I can see why people who don't book up every spare moment of their free time several months in advance feel fobbed off.

Never mind, when you get to our age (60s) your children have grown up, your parents are dead and, sadly, some of your friends start dying, so life gets a lot less frantic.

HilarityEnsues · 24/09/2022 10:18

I think it depends on your life stage.

I haven't been to a wedding in years, about three years ago to be precise. That was one busy few years in our mid-thirties and then mostly done except for the odd new younger friend.

My friends obviously go on holiday, the odd wedding, busy with kid activities, work travel but if they never had time for me, that would say something to me.

Unlike others on here though, I like the odd text, phone call if we haven't chatted in ages, it all fills in the time til we can meet in person nicely. So, I see one of my great friends every three weeks or so right now, but we chat weekly. I like the option of texting/chatting, also if there's a problem you find out about in text, you can offer to pop over.

I couldn't be friends with someone who booked me in in Jan as I'd actually forget about it!

RampantIvy · 24/09/2022 10:18

Oh, and all your friends, siblings and cousins are married, and the next generation aren't getting married or aren't ready to get married, so there are more funerals than weddings to go to.

WimpoleHat · 24/09/2022 10:21

It depends what your interests are as well. My real passion is going to the theatre, so I’m often booked up six months in advance as I’ll book early for the best/best value seats. If your thing is going to restaurants, on the other hand, you may not book until a week or so in advance. And if it’s the cinema, not until the day before. So it’s hard to judge, really.

luckylavender · 24/09/2022 10:22

Odd thread. Life is busy. People are skint. And swimming lessons cost money.

RedAppleGirl · 24/09/2022 10:26

SleepingStandingUp · 24/09/2022 09:53

And a hood friend will recognise that not go "omg I'm not her No1 priority, she's a bitch, I'm never wattsapping her again".
We have a girls weekend, one can't commit until the actual weekend because of how life is atm. It isn't personal about us, it's about her. And we love her so we'll still be here when she's available

We had a funeral yesterday, a neighbor passed away unexpectedly, and we were obligated to attend the wake.
We have a wedding today.
However, Dp's new car has developed an engine fault yesterday aft post service so that has to go in.
Dp has had an op, and now he has regressed after recovering well, he normally handles the children but now he needs to rest as a capillary has broken leaving bruising. He was in the hospital all day yesterday.
Come down to the dog covered in its own mess other mess, so it looks like the dog is regressing. This has been ongoing for months and seems to be intensifying.
That's an extra 3 life problems in one day on top of a busy diary.
It's just an example of how unexpected events can make a chaotic life.

Metabigot · 24/09/2022 10:29

I've learned the hard way that I'm busy (with no effort to make a plan) is code for I'm not bothered about hanging out.

My busiest friends may not be able to see me straight away but make a plan and not months away either.

Same for scheduling phone calls etc.

Nejnej2 · 24/09/2022 11:08

This is us to be fair - but in my defence we both work full ever-changing shift rotas (nights/weekends) that don't match up and it's with family/friends that live too far away to pop over for just a couple of hours (need an overnight stay).
We're much more flexible with local friends/family, but shift work really doesn't help because nothing is predictable!

Kite22 · 24/09/2022 11:55

I really don’t understand the months in advance planners. Even if I WANTED to be that busy I genuinely don’t have enough stuff I could fill the next 20 weekends with. I have a good group of friends, a full time job, a dog, hobbies…but I’ve never understood how people get so booked up and what with

We both volunteer. It sometimes involves taking young people away for the weekend, and sometimes for a week or 10 days, and very often for individual days at weekends. Apart from the actual time on the event, none of these thing just 'happen'. There is a huge amount of planning goes into each and every event including things like First Aid Training and Safeguarding training, Risk assessments and all the logistics , food buying, prepping equipment, getting all the paperwork in place.
Other people commit to running drama groups, Park runs, orchestras, Martial Arts training, swimming galas, etc etc etc.

Surely classes/lessons are only once or twice a week and even if you have a set weekend commitment that’s only going to be a few hours on one of the days?

.....per child

I don't understand the lack of flexibility around those fixed things

Really ? You don't see that there is a level of commitment to the rest of the Team or Band or whatever else people are relying on each other in ? Confused

I don’t schedule in when I’m going to clean or do laundry, I just do it when I have the inclination. It seems bonkers to me to plan in stuff like that.

I agree, nor do I, but there does come a time when someone has to do it as you run out of food, or clean clothes, or your car insurance is due, or your car actually breaks down, or you need to make appts for things like dentist, optician, smear test, hair cut, and so forth

Likewise asking someone for a coffee in January - I’ll 100% forget about it before January comes around and probably end up double booking myself. Unless something is happening within the next 2 weeks I will forget

So what I am hearing here is, your "friends" mean so little to you, you can't use the seconds it would take to add that in to your diary.

I don’t think the planners and the spontaneous people will ever understand each other tbh.

Well, as I have said before - I love it when people pop in unexpectedly, or I bump into someone on a walk and they say 'have you time to get a coffee?'. Really makes my day to have an unexpected chinwag when I have time. Sometimes, at the end of a meeting, people say 'Let's go and get a drink' and again, I like that. So I like spontaneity but I also know that people are busy, and if you really want to see them, it makes sense to make firm arrangements. I don't think you have to be one or the other at all.

Metabigot · 24/09/2022 12:32

I can wait a couple months for a busy friend but vague not sure yet esque responses absolutely do my head in as I will due to my own insecurity along with a pinch of intuition see that as the other person not wanting to hang out.

I'll then get all pushy for a date to confirm my self fulfilling prophecy and become the annoying needy friend.

Trying not to do this so much now I've realised. People who want to see you will not leave you hanging in doubt even if there's a bit of a delay before you can meet up.

TheSoapyFrog · 24/09/2022 12:42

I'm not sure tbh. One of my friends works nights, and now has a baby. The other works in a prison and her shifts are quite random. I'm free most of the time, but it can sometimes be a few months between get togethers because they're not always free at the same time.
Saying that, the excuses your friends come up with are a bit off, and that would bother me more than having to make 'bookings'.

QuandaleDingle · 24/09/2022 12:42

Yanbu

TedMullins · 24/09/2022 12:45

Kite22 · 24/09/2022 11:55

I really don’t understand the months in advance planners. Even if I WANTED to be that busy I genuinely don’t have enough stuff I could fill the next 20 weekends with. I have a good group of friends, a full time job, a dog, hobbies…but I’ve never understood how people get so booked up and what with

We both volunteer. It sometimes involves taking young people away for the weekend, and sometimes for a week or 10 days, and very often for individual days at weekends. Apart from the actual time on the event, none of these thing just 'happen'. There is a huge amount of planning goes into each and every event including things like First Aid Training and Safeguarding training, Risk assessments and all the logistics , food buying, prepping equipment, getting all the paperwork in place.
Other people commit to running drama groups, Park runs, orchestras, Martial Arts training, swimming galas, etc etc etc.

Surely classes/lessons are only once or twice a week and even if you have a set weekend commitment that’s only going to be a few hours on one of the days?

.....per child

I don't understand the lack of flexibility around those fixed things

Really ? You don't see that there is a level of commitment to the rest of the Team or Band or whatever else people are relying on each other in ? Confused

I don’t schedule in when I’m going to clean or do laundry, I just do it when I have the inclination. It seems bonkers to me to plan in stuff like that.

I agree, nor do I, but there does come a time when someone has to do it as you run out of food, or clean clothes, or your car insurance is due, or your car actually breaks down, or you need to make appts for things like dentist, optician, smear test, hair cut, and so forth

Likewise asking someone for a coffee in January - I’ll 100% forget about it before January comes around and probably end up double booking myself. Unless something is happening within the next 2 weeks I will forget

So what I am hearing here is, your "friends" mean so little to you, you can't use the seconds it would take to add that in to your diary.

I don’t think the planners and the spontaneous people will ever understand each other tbh.

Well, as I have said before - I love it when people pop in unexpectedly, or I bump into someone on a walk and they say 'have you time to get a coffee?'. Really makes my day to have an unexpected chinwag when I have time. Sometimes, at the end of a meeting, people say 'Let's go and get a drink' and again, I like that. So I like spontaneity but I also know that people are busy, and if you really want to see them, it makes sense to make firm arrangements. I don't think you have to be one or the other at all.

It’s not that my friends mean little to me. Even if I write stuff in a diary I’ll still forget. If I was scheduled to win a million pounds in January I forget about that too. I forget the dates of my own holidays if they’re more than a few weeks away. My brain just doesn’t work that far into the future.