Do you contact your parents or do they contact you?

[Tiredofbeingtiredtoday]

Or a bit of both?

Have realised if I don’t contact them every week, then it’s around two weeks until mum will eventually message to see how we are

Is this normal?

A bit of both. We usually speak on the phone a couple of times a week and WhatsApp most days. They'd be over here battering my door down if they hadn't heard from me for two weeks!

I’ve been running an experiment with my (very difficult) mum, after realising it was always me doing the running (and she’d ignored birthdays, Christmas etc).

I last called her on Mothers Day. I’ve sent a couple of texts and emails since then, which have been ignored. But I’ve not called her, and she’s not called me (or my brother). It’s really tough, because I’m on the verge of caving, but also wondering why I’m so worried about contacting someone who clearly doesn’t give a shit about contacting me.

My Dad and Step-mum are completely different. Natter most days on the family WhatsApp, works both ways, really easy. So I don’t think it’s me. Just feel like I have to match her energy now to protect myself from disappointment, but the guilt as she gets older is pretty powerful.

I’ve never liked my parents. I moved out when I was 18 and I never call them. They usually call
me but they know I can’t stand them. I’d be happy to never speak to them again.

Three or four times a week, one way or the other. Used to be less - once a week perhaps - but they are elderly now. As am I.

I ring my elderly Dad most days. He occasionally rings me.

DD (20) and I text several times a week. We call when we feel like it. I’ll always reach out to her, I can’t imagine not doing it.

My father never contacts me, he is in his mid 80s. I call him once a week but if I didn't, he wouldn't get in contact. I'm the least favourite child out of 3 tho.

Bit of both really. Mum and I are on a family group chat with my other siblings/partners which is active daily but besides that, she probably messages and calls me first more often but I tend to visit her more often, albeit that’s because I’m a sahm to two very small children and my husband works alllll the time so I like a change of scenery! If I’ve not visited her for a week or two, she’ll come to me, no worries. I am pretty happy with the dynamics.
I don’t see my dad and haven’t for a very long time.