105 Ways to Give a Book

Calling Your Mother

Question: How often do you call your mother?

Okay it has nothing to do with books, but I’m hoping that you’ll take the minute to answer the question. My friend was talking about her husband feeling the need to call his mother every week, and she thought that was too much. I admitted that I call my mom every weekend, and usually another day during the week as well. She was surprised I call so much, and yet I remember feeling like I was a bad daughter after talking to another friend who called her mom every day.

So now I’m curious: How often do you call your mother? Explanations are optional.

I’m also keeping today’s post short so that I can direct you to the beginning of the Share a Story — Shape a Future blog tour filled with interesting posts about reading, literacy, and beloved books. Check it out.

29 comments:

Jennifer said...

I generally call my mom every weekend, although sometimes we're busy and don't connect. I write my grandparents a letter every week and usually text or email my sister weekly as well. It depends on your circumstances and relationship I suppose...My immediate family lives in Texas, my grandparents and extended family live on the West Coast, and I live in Wisconsin, so it's the only way to keep in touch b/c we don't have money to travel often, although I try to see my mom and sister at least once a year.

Unknown said...

As a student who lives close enough to home to be there every weekend unless I plan something with my friends, I call my parents regularly. At the end of the week to decide on a time of arrival that is convenient for us all and, if and when the weather is bad or something else has been up right after I arrive at my place.

teacherninja said...

At least every week. But then, she's awesome and we often have funny news about our 1st grader to share.

Anonymous said...

Usually I call at least once a week; sometimes she calls me as well.

Daily (or even more often) if there's something "big" occurring (e.g., I called her at least 2x/day each day that my dad was in the hospital, even though it meant calling Costa Rica - long story). I talked to my dad at least every other day when Mom went to Africa with my brother, because I know he gets lonely. Otherwise, roughly weekly. Occasionally it slips to 10 days, but that's unusual.

Once/week is not "too much", in my opinion.

Becker said...

Usually about twice a week, more if there are family health or other crises happening...I think that the older and further away I got, the more I realized that I needed to keep connected to home--I know I didn't call home that much when I was still living in New England.

Anonymous said...

We talk at least twice a week, though who calls who is much more flexible. I live in Maryland and my parents live in Washington State, but we talked about as often when I lived much closer and wasn't married.

Lazygal said...

I call whenever I feel like it - sometimes every day, sometimes once a month. She calls me, too (funny thing about phones, both parties can call). Yesterday they called to say "hello" and then I called late at night to share excitement over the Celtics win; I probably won't speak with them for another week or more due to schedules and stuff.

CindyD said...

My mother usually called all of her out-of-town children on Sunday evenings - I could answer the phone "hi, Mom" and be right (before caller ID) and if she didn't call I would. Incidentally, my friends in college envied me because my letters from home were written by my dad!
We call or get called by our daughter every weekend and get email updates during the week, and she finally convinced me to register for Facebook so I could see her posts there. My stepson calls about once a week. My stepdaughter never answers her phone...

Heather said...

Once a week, but I usually email her three to four times a week.

Kristina said...

It just depends. Sometimes we can talk 2-3 times per week, sometimes it's once every 2-3 weeks. There's no pressure on either party to HAVE to call the other every certain amount of days.

With my dad, however, I'll call him every couple of months (or even more). We're not too awful close. He complains when I don't call him, yet he never picks up the phone to call me.

Like another poster said, it just depends on your relationships!

Jill Fisch said...

At least once a week on the weekends but usually once during the week also.

Cindy Hudson said...

I call my mom about twice a week, sometimes more. When I moved away from home 25 years ago calling long distance was expensive, so we limited it to one hour on Sunday mornings. We still talk Sunday mornings, it's an old habit by now, but we also talk once or twice during the week.

Jennie said...

I average 6 times a month calling my parents. I usually call every Sunday, and then every other week something will come up that has me calling mid-week.

The1stdaughter said...

Unfortunately for some reason or another, my mom and I just don't speak a whole lot. Maybe once a month. I know, weird, right? I'm always quite jealous of people who have great relationships with their moms. So, I'm striving to be that person for my own kids and hoping I can always be that mom who gets calls a few times a week.

But, strange as it is, I talk to my mother-in-law probably close to 3-4 times a week. We just get along so well and she's so much fun! I truly lucked out in the in-laws department.

Abby said...

When I lived in Chicago, I called my parents pretty much every week. Now that I'm back living in the same town as them, I usually see them at least every other week. Before Santa brought me a washer and dryer, I saw them every week like clockwork. ;) Now it's a bit more relaxed.

tanita✿davis said...

How bizarre to actually care how much anyone calls anyone else -- I mean, not you, Pam, but even ifI really didn't like the woman who spawned my TechBoy at all, it would be totally his business if he wanted to converse with that level of insanity every day.

Hypothetically, you know. *cough*

Since I'm six thousand miles away from my mother, I only call her once a week. We email pretty much every day other than that, just gossiping and making up lies, and pretty much shooting the breeze.

EM said...

I call my mom when I need to confirm something (when are they coming? being a popular question). Maybe once a week, once every other week. Otherwise, we email, or I hear things through the sister grapevine.

My husband, OTOH, talks to his parents 2-3 times a week. And he can never talk to just one: whenever he calls, or they call, they must explore every permutation of caller and callee. Husband talks to father, then to mother. Mother talks to husband, then to me, then I have to talk to FIL, then kids must talk to each grandparent -- it's exhausting. Esp. because each conversation after the first pairing merely repeats what was already said. Apparently my in-laws cannot relay information to each other.

Anonymous said...

At least once a week, but more sometimes. I talk to my father online almost every day, even if it's just a sentence or two. I know a lot of people who keep in touch with their parents on a nearly-daily basis. I don't think that's weird--just depends on the family.

NatalieSap said...

Well, once a week seems to be the popular response, and I do fit in that category. Usually on the weekend and maybe during the week if something BIG happens. I don't know if I could call daily - we wouldn't have anything to talk about!

Bill said...

I call my mom whenever my wife reminds me to. ;-)

Ms. Lauren said...

I'm one more "once a weeker," though I often forget and sometimes its as much as two weeks. By this point, when I call I usually get a celebration of the a fact I'm calling to make me feel a little guilty.

Mom only calls me if she has something specific to say, or it's been longer than two weeks.

KH said...

I feel guilty if I don't call at least once a week.

Kate said...

Probably about once a week, which is pretty good, I think. My own children are now two and three years old, and I'm putting quite a lot of work into raising them :) I hope they call me when they are adults! I know I'll want to know what's going on with them!

Mama Librarian said...

I only call her a few times a month. She's very happy to hear from me any time, but also never makes me feel guilty for not calling and gives me many reasonable excuses every time. I really do like talking with my mom, but I'm not a phone person. We mostly email and she reads my Livejournal and blog. When she comes to visit next week, I told her I'd set her up on Facebook at long last. (My mom is more computer savvy than most. =)

malolib said...

When I lived out of town I called my mom about twice a week. Now that we live in the same small town I see her every couple of days. She comes to my girls hockey games and swimming lessons and I see her at church every Sunday.

Dianne said...

My mom and I have gone through different phases over the years. It seems like years ago, when my kids were kids, we probably talked weekly or nearly weekly. Now, I have to say that we talk when we talk. Sometimes it's every two weeks. Sometimes it's longer. We email occasionally, but there's really no set routine. When I feel like I haven't talked to my mom in a while, I'll call. Or she'll call me. It works both ways.

Ms. Yingling said...

Almost every day, but then she is getting on and I want to make sure she is okay. Hey, Mother Reader, you should definitely pick up Hawkin's Hex Hall. It had lines that reminded me of your Tinkerbell slapping one, which I have quoted (to teachers!) several times this week!

Gail Gauthier said...

Since last summer I have, like Ms Yingling, been calling my mother every day. In my case, I'm reminding her to take her medication. When everyone was younger and healthier and she was living in another state, it was once a week.

Unknown said...

My mother doesn't give me a chance to call her because she calls me 3-4 times a day, sometimes for an hour at a time each. So whenever I get a break from talking to her I trying to take care of my business. Not to mention, being married, cooking, cleaning, work, college, etc.