How much contact for adult children and their parents?

TeamLowe

we have tea at my parents on wednesdays, maybe pop down at the weekend/one night for some reason or another most weeks.
husband doesn't speak to his dad, rarely sees his mum although these days it's because she works shifts so it's hard for us to be off at the same time as her and not out of any malice just neither him or her make the effort
we try to see his grandad once a week, him and his grandma i've always seen as being his parents, although she sadly passed away last christmas x x

Newgirl_2

I don't have any remaining family but my OH's parents live an hour away. He speaks to his mum twice a week (his dad hates the phone but says the odd hi and asks techy questions now and again) and we visit them for special occasions. We always spend Christmas there - I've pointed out to my OH how lucky he is I have no family as we don't have to have that 'who are we spending Christmas with?' row ROFL

Newgirl

Flora_Poste

I speak to mum everyday (since dad died last year) and see her two or three times a week. We go round for tea one night and I take her shopping another day. I feel very lucky to have such a lovely mum and it's not a chore but a pleasure to spend time together.

In Laws are a different matter. Kids go round for tea once a week and she collects them from school. I see them about twice a week because they are elderly and I feel we should but DH would see them twice a year and that would be plenty. They are ( or seem to me ) very nosy about other peoples business and are obsessed with medical problems - their own and anyone else's they can find. It's akin to a hobby with them and they love funerals. Don't need an invite, you can go to all of them. We don't have that much in common but we are family and they are good to the children so I try and keep that at the front and leave the rest.

Mupette

I speak to my parents every few days.

Parents moved to France a few years ago. Unfortunately i can't pop over to see them when i want, (money) a direct flight between Bristol and Limogues is sumertime only, ferry and driving once in France is a good 8 hours there.

OP i know what you mean about the other post, when i left home i didnt really speak to my parents for about 8 years, and then i had their grandson, we decided life was too short etc etc... then we had another falling out and it was another 4/5 years of not really talking..

me and my mum have always had a rocky relationship, but since they have moved we get on great, amazing what distance can do

neverdespairgirl

Newgirl wrote: »

. We always spend Christmas there - I've pointed out to my OH how lucky he is I have no family as we don't have to have that 'who are we spending Christmas with?' row ROFL

We never have it either - my OH is Jewish (-:

neverdespairgirl

And small children have a way of helping, too, I think!

Isaac calls his grandparents Mum and Dad. When he was learning to talk, my sisters, brother and I all called them that, so he wasn't having any of the "Granny and Grandad" we tried to encourage!

funkycat06

my mum annoys me sometimes as i text her quite regularly and she can go for a week without replying then eventually texts saying sorr yive been busy, too busy to send a text ??she doesnt live near me and usually see her about every two weeks if she can make it

jakes-mum

I speak/text or talk to my mum on the phone near enough everyday (my dad im lucky to speak to him at all! He never rings but does chat if I go round their house with the kids lol). They live in the next village and mum helps out alot with the kids etcvas im disabled and DH works shifts, My DH's parents live 200 miles away and we see them a maximum of twice a year and talk on the phone/skype for birthdays or cos DH is upset. She has always said that she always knows he's ok because he doesnt ring her! :rotfl: If she gets 2 - 3 phone calls in a week then somethings up.

gingin_2

I speak to my Mum and Dad probably once a week, maybe twice and see them every six weeks or so. I can't work out my relationship with them, good and bad but they are brilliant grandparents and we always have fun with the children at their house ( my children are away with them for a week as we speak ). My inlaws are hilarious and live the other side of the world. We talk once a week but email a fair bit and they come to stay every year to 18 months for 4 weeks at a time - doing christmas with them this year - their first cold christmas!

ceebeeby

I speak to my Mum about once a fortnight - maybe more, maybe less. On average I see her perhaps twice a year. If I didn't have children I doubt it would be that often. That makes me sad - but for sanity's sake it's best left as it is - she's very very high maintenance.