You call and call and all you get is voicemail. But you send a text and he replies immediately. So annoying! Yeah, some stuff can be settled or discussed via text but sometimes you want to hear your partner’s voice or discuss something more complex or serious. Furthermore, many people equate speaking on the phone with closeness and intimacy. You don’t call everyone on the phone, only people who are deserving of that little extra attention. So by not picking up the phone when you call and only choosing to communicate via text, your man is subtly telling you that you’re not important to him- not important enough to pick up the phone.
MUST READ: Is The “Good Girl Syndrome” Affecting Your Relationship?
Before you jump to conclusions and dump him, try to think about the type of person he is. Is he nervous on the phone? Is he anxious in general? This may signal that he has other issues with talking on the phone. Talk about it face to face. Discuss how his communication affects you and how you would like it to change. Hopefully, he’ll make a greater effort to be communicative and you’ll make a greater effort to be understanding of his comfort zone.
But assuming, it’s not anxiety or lacking phone skills that’s causing the problem, further action should be taken. If you have the time and willpower, pick up the phone and call him every time he text you to offer your response to his message. This will be annoying for you and beyond annoying for him but maybe he’ll get the hint!
Another technique to try would be to set up a time every day for you to call each other and check in. Even if it’s for 5 minutes during your lunch hour, do it. Ask how each other’s day is going and what they’ve been up to. This little mid-day check in will help you develop your man’s willingness to pick up the phone instead of just text.
MUST READ: Is He Checking For You: 10 Reasons Men Assume You Don’t Want to be Approached
If you’ve tried all of this and nothing is working, make it clear how you feel about his texting. And then never answer another one of his text messages again until things change. He may never text you (or call you ever again but if this kind of thing is your pet peeve, you don’t want a guy like that in your life anyway. In the case that he does get the hint, he’ll know that you’re strong-willed and independent and never take you for granted in this way ever again.
