Keyboard reload every time in text messages

I noticed in text messages now in iOS 10 that I have to tap in the field to show the keyboard every time I click in and out of a contact for texting. For example in iOS 9 if I was texting different people switching between multiple threads, the keyboard would stay loaded for each person. Now I have to tap every time in the field to load the keyboard. It requires so much extra tapping since I text a lot and constantly move between different text threads. Anyone else notice this? Is there a way to have the keyboard stay loaded by default? I would so much rather see my keyboard when I want to text someone rather than having to tap in the field to access the keys. This is a major flaw in my opinion. Wastes a lot of time.