Texting, emailing or calling a family yourself

Last updated: October 4, 2026

Movo does most of the talking, but you can message a family yourself at any time: a text, an email, or a call. Here's how, and what Movo does after you've written.

Open the conversation

Go to Conversations and click the family. You can also open the family from Families and click the Conversation tab. The box at the bottom is where you write.

If the family has more than one parent, pick who you're writing to. Click the family in the list, then click the person under it. The box at the bottom then names them, like "Message Carlos".

A family opened in the Conversations list, with the second parent ringed

Send a text

Type your message in the box at the bottom and click send, or press Enter. To start a new line without sending, hold Shift and press Enter.

A text typed in the box at the bottom, with the send button ringed

Your message shows in black with your name on it, so you can tell it apart from Movo's. It goes from the same number Movo uses with that family, so their reply comes back to the same conversation.

A message from a team member in black, under their name, ringed

If the family speaks another language, the box says the message will be translated before it goes out. See What languages Movo speaks.

Send an email instead

Click the button next to send, then choose Email.

The channel menu open, with Email ringed

Type a subject and your message, then click send. An email needs a subject.

The email box, with the subject line ringed

Add a photo to a text

Click the plus at the left of the box, then Add photos & files. Photos can be JPEG, PNG or GIF, up to 2 MB. Add a few words too: a photo can't go on its own.

The plus menu open, with Add photos and files ringed

Call a family

To talk to a family yourself, open their page from Families. Find their phone number on the parent's card, and call them from your own phone.

A parent's card on the family page, with their phone number ringed

When you can't text a family

They texted STOP. The box says texting is off for them. You can still email or call. See What happens when a family texts STOP.
There's no number or email on file. The box says so. An admin can add one on the family's page. See Fixing a family's record.

If you've paused Movo for a family, you can still message them as normal. See Pausing Movo for a family.

What Movo does after you write

Movo reads your message as part of the conversation. It won't repeat what you said, and it carries on from where you left off.

If the family was waiting on your team, your reply usually closes that out. If your reply asks them something or promises to follow up, it stays open with your name on it until you're done. See Working your Needs You queue.