Re: Parents and cell phones - a vent

my father is the same. he always tells my mom he has it "just in case" yet its never ON, or never on him..LOL

parents just dont understand

Re: Parents and cell phones - a vent

Omg I just lol'ed because this sounds just like my parents. My dad has one for "emergencies" that he keeps in his car, turned off. Very useful!

My mom finally keeps hers on *occassionally* since I couldn't get in touch with her last year when I thought I might be in labor.

Forget about VM, neither has it set up!

Re: Parents and cell phones - a vent

THis is going to be me when I get older. I leave my phone all the time off or at home when I go out. I just don't understand how people are so attached to those things. I like having one in case of an emergency or to call someone when I am out and about if I need to tell them something, but just to call and chat, I can wait until I get home and do that.

My mom is a consultant with her own company and we had to force her to get her own blackberry. With that said she still refuses to text. Drives me batty when we are picking her up from a train or something along those lines.

Re: Parents and cell phones - a vent

MY Dad's is always off he only has it in case he needs to call a tow truck or something.

My mom has one but she is so old fashioned, she will be like well I text-ED you last night...like drawing out the word texted because it is so unfamiliar to her!

Re: Parents and cell phones - a vent

My dad always answers, it's his work blackberry (which my OTB Italian dad always calls his "BlackCherry") Every time I see him- he's like can you email this person for me? Can you delete these emails? He can read them, just not answer or delete or forward or anythingl like that. He also can't use the contact list, so he memorizes EVERY phone number!! If he forgets one, he'll call someone else who knows that person and make them call the person and tell them to call my dad.

My mom is better, she has a phone, uses it and even texts (altho she's very slow). BUT, she doesn't always answer it bc she doesn't hear it. THen she'll call you back three days later and say "did you call me?" I'll say "No" and She'll say "but I have a missed call from you!" and I'll say "yea, from Monday!!"

Re: Parents and cell phones - a vent

Thankfully my parents are awesome with their phones!

My dad has 2 phones, he ALWAYS has his blue tooth in his ear, so he always picks up or if hes busy he calls me back asap.
We talk alot, and he has a very high plan in terms of minutes, i think he has 4000 peak
free nites and weekends
My dad doesn't text, one thing that frustrates me so much. i can text him but he can't respond lol


My mom has her phone through us, she is on our share plan, she has a full keyboard on her phone and internet so she can go online, ebay, facebook etc.
She is great with texting!

If i couldn't get in touch with my parents because their phone was always off, i think i would be insanely mad as well, very frustrating

Re: Parents and cell phones - a vent

LOL, if my mother could turn it on (literally) it would be great, or if they could both access VM. Or if they didnt have to yell into the phone so that people in the next house could hear the conversation. My father can be sitting in my house, next to my phone and still take out his cell phone to call my brother. This drives me NUTS.....I'll say I have to call Aunt Susie and go to pick up my phone and he'll be lilke "I'll dial her from my phone", takes him 10 mins to find the number and another 5 to figure out how to dial, just give me the phone and I'll dial the number direct!!!

Re: Parents and cell phones - a vent

Yes, my mom doesn't put her cell phone on because she claims no one ever calls her.

We tell her we don't call her because we know her cell phone isn't on.

It's a vicious cycle.

Re: Parents and cell phones - a vent

Posted by Domino

I should state for the record that my dad does not have a cell phone. My mom does have a cell phone and like pp said, for "her" emergencies. She never friggin turns it on and when she does use it on occassion to call me when she is out, should I miss her call, i cant call her back because she turns it off immediately after leavign me a VM

P.S. It should be noted that should I not answer my cell, you would think the world has ended and mom requires an explaination as to where I was "I'll answer your question when you actually turn yours ON"

Message edited 12/30/2009 11:11:31 AM.

Re: Parents and cell phones - a vent

My mother is like that. When I was pregnant with DD I yelled at her and said she wasn't going to know if I went into labor or not if she didn't leave the @$&!% phone on.

She left it on for 3 weeks.

She turned it off again the day I gave birth.

Re: Parents and cell phones - a vent

My mom and brother are both like that.
Her cell phone is turned off even though it's in her bag, and my brother leaves his home when he goes out, or lets the battery run out and doesn't recharge it.
Why even have one???

Re: Parents and cell phones - a vent

Um..



I do this. My phone is currently off. The battery died. I rarely check it. I dont have the text message option because I don't text so its actually cheaper not to buy the option. I spend less than $5 a month on my texts. I don't check my voicemail. Its like I feel its too much a bother to wait for the little system to get to the real message. If I have a missed call or incoming call I check that and call. Allbeit about 2-5days after you probably called me. If my phone does ring, assuming it has juice, I'm generally not near it to answer it.

I'm really really bad.

I just got around to seeing the merry xmas messages I got.. like I read them today!

Cell phones are for emergancies. I do leave it on but really why would you call me on that if you know where I live and work?

Altho talking and driving is allowed here in Texas I still don't do it. If you call me and I'm driving - you better hope Jim is in the car with me cause I wont answer it. And on the off chance I do - then I say "I'm driving" .. not hello, just "I'm driving" so make it good! Or I'll call you back later. Why would I want to talk to people when I drive? Why do I want to talk to people while I'm in a store? I lived life fine without a cell phone and I can't for the life of me understand the 'need' to have to have it on my ear 24/7. Say what you want when you talk to me then say good bye.

I dont understand cell phones in bathrooms, i HATE them in resturants, I cringe when drivers use them and frankly hate folks who walk and talk too. Sit down and have a conversation or don't bother. Make a note of what you need, no need to have the phone at my ear in a store. I think its rude to talk on your phone when at a cashier or whenever you expect anyone else to be paying attention to you. If you want someone to cash you out, serve you food, provide you with a service then I think you should have the decency to look them in the eye with your full attention.

I think cell phones should be banned from places you eat, movies, schools and work!

OMG I think I'm old fashioned! LOL!

Re: Parents and cell phones - a vent

my mom is like this (dad doesn't have a phone and I'm not sure he would know how to use it)...but she has gotten SLIGHTLY better since grandkids. When she goes shopping, she doesn't want to miss a possible visit, so she sometimes turns her phone on...maybe 10% of the time now.


I'm just happy they are getting pretty good at email.

Re: Parents and cell phones - a vent

My mom is the same exact way (old Nokia and everything! ). She got stuck in an elevator one time and where was her phone? Off and in the car! She also has no clue how to check her voicemail, so leaving her a message is out of the question.

Re: Parents and cell phones - a vent

my mom is like this....she will call me and I will miss the call, go to call her back and the phone will be off

when I ask her why she does not leave her phone on, she says she wants to save the battery

also, she tells me not to leave her a vm cause she does not know how to check them

Re: Parents and cell phones - a vent

I wonder why so many people do not turn on their phones? Maybe its a fear?
Maybe they are scared it may cost them money if its on?

These stories are just outrageous, i couldn't imagine spending money on something every month, and cell phones are not cheap, to not even use it or turn it on. Its like throwing your money in the street

My 85 year grandfather has a cell, its a full touch screen like an iphone, and he always has it on, and he texts too!

My grandparents are old school as they do not want to waste money, they went through the depression, so i know they would never not use their phone. That would be a sin to them

Re: Parents and cell phones - a vent

That's how DH's parents are - drives him nuts.

Mine will have hers on - but 99% of the time will not hear it ring and miss the call.

Re: Parents and cell phones - a vent

Message edited 12/30/2009 3:54:41 PM.

Re: Parents and cell phones - a vent

my mom's phone is always off drives me freakin nuts especially if we are meeting or something where Gee lady I might need to call you. infuriating

Re: Parents and cell phones - a vent

This is my mom exactly. We went away a couple of years ago to visit my cousins upstate. We took two cars. My mom said to call when we got there so we would know where to meet up, of course her cell phone was off. Then later that night we were supposed to meet up at Walmart. She calls my cell and leaves a message for me to call her back to find out where to meet. I called her back and of course her phone is off. She very rarely will make a call and then she immediately turns it off. If it's only for emergencies then how is anyone going to be able to get in touch with her if there is one?

Re: Parents and cell phones - a vent

Posted by dpli

Posted by MrsM-6-7-08

I wonder why so many people do not turn on their phones? Maybe its a fear?
Maybe they are scared it may cost them money if its on?

These stories are just outrageous, i couldn't imagine spending money on something every month, and cell phones are not cheap, to not even use it or turn it on. Its like throwing your money in the street

Since you asked, I will answer.

I am not afraid of my phone, I just hate talking on it. I got one for real emergencies like: my car broke down, the baby is sick and has to be picked up at daycare, I am out and my DH has an emergency at home. I don't use it much because I just don't want to. We do use them a lot when we are traveling.

I also don't pay a lot for it. I have a pre-pay plan. It only costs me $20 every three months. If I use more minutes than what that $20 covers, I add more. I had a regular plan and it wasn't worth it to me, because as you say, I wasn't using it and it was like throwing my money away, so I switched to the prepay, which is all I really need. I only got a new phone recently, after the one I had for about 7 years was dying.

I usually have it on, but really only use it occasionally and I ask people to call me at home or at work first and not to leave messages on my cell, because I may not get them for a while.

I don't feel the need to be connected and accessible to people 24/7. Even if I am out by myself, my DH will not call me unless he is having a problem at home, or wants me to get something on the way home. I just have no desire to be on the phone in public and not as often as most people I see.

Re: Parents and cell phones - a vent

My mother keeps her phone on always, so that isn't a problem... the problem is that her bluetooth randomly calls me and all I hear is her singing in the background of her car. Then I'll call her and she'll be like, "oh, hi honey!! whats up?" Whats up is that you just put on a concert for me...

My father has yet to realize caller id exists, so he calls me at least once a day asking if I just called. Is my name on your missed call list dad? yea.. that's cause I didn't call...

I used to laugh.. now it's annoying..lol

Re: Parents and cell phones - a vent

Posted by Xelindrya

Posted by dpli

Posted by MrsM-6-7-08

I wonder why so many people do not turn on their phones? Maybe its a fear?
Maybe they are scared it may cost them money if its on?

These stories are just outrageous, i couldn't imagine spending money on something every month, and cell phones are not cheap, to not even use it or turn it on. Its like throwing your money in the street

Since you asked, I will answer.

I am not afraid of my phone, I just hate talking on it. I got one for real emergencies like: my car broke down, the baby is sick and has to be picked up at daycare, I am out and my DH has an emergency at home. I don't use it much because I just don't want to. We do use them a lot when we are traveling.

I also don't pay a lot for it. I have a pre-pay plan. It only costs me $20 every three months. If I use more minutes than what that $20 covers, I add more. I had a regular plan and it wasn't worth it to me, because as you say, I wasn't using it and it was like throwing my money away, so I switched to the prepay, which is all I really need. I only got a new phone recently, after the one I had for about 7 years was dying.

I usually have it on, but really only use it occasionally and I ask people to call me at home or at work first and not to leave messages on my cell, because I may not get them for a while.

I don't feel the need to be connected and accessible to people 24/7. Even if I am out by myself, my DH will not call me unless he is having a problem at home, or wants me to get something on the way home. I just have no desire to be on the phone in public and not as often as most people I see.

I spend money on my phone to use it when i need it not to just have it go off all day long, its annoying and rude. I don't go as far as turning it off, but will on occasion put it on vibrate for long periods of time.

Its priceless when a real need warrants its use but generally its a PITA. I dont want to be connected to the world 24/7. I'd like to go the bathroom without my phone ringing, eat dinner in peace and watch a movie without a freaking ring tone.. lets not start on traveling on the LIRR