As the adult in family sharing, how do I access Notes and Contacts?

Good morning, Eric-

I read and checked all the steps again from the links you provided. We have two users here.

-We're each on our own Apple ID on all our devices;

-All devices are on the same wifi;

-All are toggled to iCloud as the default account;

-All devices are toggled Off for storing 'On My iPhone or iPad Account';

-I tried to swipe left on the All iCloud and Notes Folders on the Organizer's iPhone and iPad Pro (where I could see the storage count of notes). It would kind of highlight but wouldn't open to allow me to access the People icon. I was able to swipe open a Notes on Phone folder (that holds a few notes) and could have shared that folder.

I opened Notes on our iMac Desktop, running Catalina 10.15.7 and Notes 4.7, and was able to access the People icon. It shows me as Invited with 'Able to Make Changes checked. However, when I add a Note on my iPhone or iPad Pro, it isn't added to Notes on the OS desktop or to the Organizers iOS devices. Conversely, a Note added on either of the Organizer's devices is added to the Desktop Notes but not to my iOS iPhone of iPad Pro.

I rebooted the iMac and both of my devices. The gear spins for a bit on the iCloud Folder but doesn't download to my devices.

Seems I'm still missing a step or two. Funny, I used to have all three on my phone and iPad but then I diddled with the iCloud settings and that messed everything up. I did it because we were getting each other's texts and iMessages. Different problem. iCloud drives me nuts.

As I mentioned in my first post, we share the Calendar 11.0 across all devices, but then there's Contacts 12.0.

Contacts, like Notes, should be but are not being shared. The settings appear to be the same across all devices, although a strange thing occurred. I posted a Contact on the Organizer's phone, it appears there and in the iMac Contacts but not on the Organizer's iPad Pro ... nor on either of mine. I hope this isn't TMI.

Again, any help unravelling this would be appreciated.

Thank you, again, for the quick reply. I'll try it all.

When we were successfully syncing Contacts, Calendar, and Notes, I just used the other Apple ID. That was the issue with sharing all texts and I think IMs all the time.

-All devices are toggled Off for storing 'On My iPhone or iPad Account';

1) Have you tried toggling the above on and allowing time to sync to see if that makes a difference?

Did this, no change.

2) Reference the syncing problem, try going to System Preferences/iCloud (Apple ID for Catalina) and stop Notes syncing by unchecking the box. Wait a couple of minutes, then check syncing. Allow time for the sync to complete. 

Did this, no change.

3) Last resort - have you tried signing out of iCloud, restarting, and then sign back in?

Did this, no change.

4) If that doesn't help, try Settings/Your Name/iCloud and slide off Notes syncing. Wait a few minutes and then slide syncing on. Allow time for syncing to occur.

-I toggled off Notes on the iMac, iPhone, and iPad and signed out on all. Waited signed back in on all three and reset Notes to iCloud. No change.

5) Last resort - have you tried signing out of iCloud, restarting the device, and then signing back in?

-I signed out on the iMac, , iPhone, and iPad w/o changing anything. Waited a few minutes then signed back into iCloud on all three. No change.

I just don't get it. Is there anything else that could impact downloads, e.g., iCloud Drive, VPN, or ...? The iMac Notes say Invited, Can Make Changes. Should it Read Adult? My phone and iPad do or is that just an iOS difference? Is there some issue that it isn't recognizing that I've accepted Family Sharing?

If I turn off Family Sharing, can I join again? I know there is a caveat about going in and out. And if I should try this, does it make a difference if I, as the Adult stop using Family Sharing, as opposed to the Organizer dropping me?

My questions have focused on Notes because I use them a lot for specific info when I'm out ... sizes, dimensions, brands, etc. but Contacts are also important.

We're sharing the Calendar and receive notes when any changes are made.

'Tis a puzzlement. It's not like we've never shared Calendar, Contacts, and Notes. But, as I said earlier, that was w/o Family Sharing and just using the same ID. Perhaps, when sharing the same ID, there's a. setup for not sharing each other's texts.

Good morning, Eric-

Sorry for the delay in responding. The ethernet gods have taken over. I tried to post yesterday afternoon and it wouldn't load. Tried a few more times; left it loading; it was still going this morning. Reposted in a hurry; wrong place; no arrow to delete or edit.

I did accept but I went in and looked at it again yesterday, and Family Sharing says Invited and can make changes. I'm just surprised it doesn't show Organizer and Adult. I was asking you if you think it recognizes me as in the Family Sharing, or if it's waiting for me to accept? I did accept I think but ... ? Maybe I should redo it? Perhaps that's why I can't do sync Notes and Contacts.

Thanks, Eric, I'll check them out and post back. Truthfully, I'm not sure I haven't already been to these sites. I've been all over ... several times. We'll see.

Thanks again.

I'll re-try it for awhile w/o VPN and I have no third-party anti-virus program. But am I correct you don't see any issue with Family Sharing showing my status as Invited, and no indication of my having accepted as the Adult?

It's good to know we can use different IDs for Messages/FT to solve that annoyance; it's definitely a fall-back.  However, if you believe the proper settings should let us, through Family Sharing, share Calendar, Notes, and Contacts then, I know me ... I'll keep at it until it works or, LOL, we share nothing because I've totally messed it up.

As of now, I'd just like to confirm that you think Family Sharing should be working here. If so, then it's something I've done, or not done, in the setup and I may start over. If I don't get it working properly, I'll go back to using the same ID and change one for Messages/FT. And ... holler if I need help there.