When I call my parents or grandparents, they sometimes thank me for calling shortly before hanging up. Sometimes after a mutual "Good bye!" (well, German equivalent of it anyway ...), sometimes shortly before this.
I find this pretty awkward, especially when they called me first and I called back after missing their call, or they texted me to call them.
How should I answer this question?
Hopefully, they're just being polite or expressing how much they enjoy conversations with you. I typically just say something along the lines of "no problem, it was great talking with you!"
If you feel guilty about missing an earlier call, you could just give a short apology: "sorry I missed your call earlier, but I'm glad we could catch each other this time!"
If you feel like they're trying to be a little passive-aggressive with the comment, those responses work just as well to stay polite and friendly. Or you could include a gentle reminder of when you are normally available or something like that if you feel it's appropriate.
I think you're overthinking this. They're either happy you called back instead of them having to try again, or they're just happy to speak to you. Either way, just respond with 'you're welcome' or 'no problem' and be off.
