An apparatus for delaying a message includes a receiver module, a delay determination module, a storage module, and a display module. The receiver module receives an electronic message. The delay determination module determines if the message includes a request to delay displaying the message. The request includes a requested delay. The storage module stores the message prior to queuing for display in response to the delay determination module determining that the message includes a requested delay. The message is stored in a computer readable storage media accessible to a computing device receiving the message. The display module queues the message for display after the requested delay. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the receiver module, the delay determination module, the storage module, and the display module include hardware and/or executable code where the executable code is stored on one or more computer readable storage media.