Recently I was thinking about friendships and I found myself thinking – when was the last time I chatted with a girlfriend on the phone for over an hour?

I talk to my mom every day because she’s my mom.  But I realized that I have several friends that I rarely speak to on the phone anymore.  Our only means of communication is by email or Facebook and Twitter.   I don’t even know if they have my phone number.

Is this normal? Or is this simply a sign of the times?

I put the question out on Twitter (ironic, isn’t it):  How many times a day/week do you talk on the phone with a girlfriend? And for how long?

The responses were varied:

@raleighcakepops 1 hour a day about 5 times a week…too much?? ..over wine

@sarahcasm I can’t remember the last time I talked to a girlfriend on the phone. I see them more often than I talk to them on the phone.

@MPMtweets   At least 4 times a week min 20 mins. I have a few very good friends who do not use fb or twitter

@AmandaDeGrace   Boo hardly ever 🙁 it’s all texting emails tweeting. Kind of sad though but I find now I have more friends and acquaintances and not same as “besties” like in highschool

@JennAbitbol   At least daily. Time can depend. I have several friends i speak with regularly.

@Mon_W  Rarely too…thanks goodness for FB or I wouldn’t know what’s going on with them.  You can always catch a moment to touch base online

@nugglemama   I talk to girlfriends once or twice a month. Not very often.

@seeJillrun about once a day… One GF more than others but several times a day via txt fb etc

@Jen_Banks  Um…never.  I only really have one IRL friend who’s close, everyone else is online. I do talk to my mom on the phone every day tho.

@smilenwaven Talk to my bff 5 out of 7 days… we can waste an hr each time – no problem! My Mom everyday also! 😉

@MumsnChums   Every day…usually until one of our kids needs us!

@womenconnector  phone time with a girlfriend happens 2-3 times/wk. Funny how many people want to text or FB instead. Maybe I’m old fashioned (lol), but I really don’t like having a whole convo via text. #justcallme

 

Old fashioned – interesting how our friendships have truly changed because of modern technology.  Phone calls have been replaced with emails, texts and social media.

According to experts, the best forms of electronic media to strengthen your connection are Skype, webcams or smartphones because of the visual connection and being able to see other people’s cues.

If you are working full-time and have busy evenings at home with the kids, it may be less likely to have time to chat on the phone with friends for more than an hour.  Or am I wrong?

I’m thinking that working online probably makes it easier for many to just send a quick email or tweet to your friends, since you’re already online anyways.

I’m also guessing that many who love social media enjoy the fact that it is online – perhaps more comfortable for an introvert to communicate behind a computer screen than in person?

Am I pretty accurate in my assumptions?

Do you miss chatting with your friends over the phone?  Does the method in which you communicate with your friends matter, as long as you’re communicating?