10yr old DSD texing

[Squirrel3]

DSD2 has just acquired a new mobile phone, she has been texting everyone good-night very late, DSD1 (who has to get up for work at 5am) has been woken up by these texts at 1am. DSD2 regularly wakes up DP and I texting him goodnight.

While a good-night text is really quite sweet, I don't think that sending them at that hour is ok,

1. what on earth is she doing up at that hour? 2) She keeps waking everybody up! I asked DP to have a word with her, saying whilst its sweet, could she not do it after a certain time as she has been waking everyone up. When we picked them up on Friday evening DP said to her "why did you text me at 1am on Thursday?" "I didn't" was the reply ("I didn't" is a standard reply for DSD, even when you have seen her do it with your own eyes), I got DP's phone and showed her the msg and the time it was sent. I expected DP to say more but he didn't so I told her that although it was sweet she shouldn't be texting people at that hour etc and she should do it earlier, because of waking people up. She got the hump and continued to have the hump with me all weekend. She was very 'clingy' to DP all weekend, she wouldn't talk to me or stay in the same room alone with me. She even tried to go into the toilet with DP everytime he went.

Was I wrong for asking her not to text at that time of night? It was obvious that DP was not going to and her Mum lets her, maybe it isn't any of my business but I'm getting p-ed off with being woken up!

Totally understand your frustration!! Would putting your phone on a silent setting when you go to bed be an option?

Why doesn't dp turn his phone off then you won't hear the text. Also, could it be possible that the messages are sent earlier, but that there is a delay which means they arrive late.

Instead of having a go at her which will only end in tears, why not just get DH to put his phone on silent for incoming texts???

Much easier solution and no hurt feelings. As you say, I think it is a sweet thing to do!

DP likes to leave it on just incase there is an emergency with the kids.

If there is an emergency couldn't they use the landline?

What about silent for texts but still allow it to ring if there is a call? Would assume that in an emergency someone wouldn't just send a text?

You can choose a different ring for texts and calls. No-one would text in an emergency!

I didn't have a go at her, I just told her that it was sweet but she should do it earlier because she is waking everyone up.

Changing the ring tone for texts is a good idea, but it means that everyone she has been texting has to do it everynight or turn their phones off. Its not just DP that she texts.

I just thought that it would be easier if she was told to do it earlier if that is what she wanted to do.

it is possible she sent it earlier but it didn't get put through to yours until later this has happened in our house

BTW, she is sending them at that hour because that is what time she goes to bed at home.

Putting your phone on silent might solve the problem but it doesn't solve the issue. IMO if she's doing something that you don't like she should be told about it by her Dad - after all she's a child and he's an adult and you have every right to expect him to support you on this

NAAM, its not just us she is waking up, she texts "night" to lots of people at 12.30am or even later, I think DP should have spoken to her but as usual he gets 'blinded' by her saying "I didn't do it", when her brother (DSS) tells us "yes she did, thats what time she went to bed, and she sent me one too!"

I'm hoping that the novelty wears off soon.

And here's hoping that she goes to bed a little earlier now she is back at school!

I don't think you were wrong at all to ask her not to text, if it's something that's affecting you. Like you say, very sweet of her ...... but at that time?! Perhaps the novelty of sending all the texts will wear off when she runs out of credit!