Your Siblings - Are You Friends

Not really. Once Mom passed away in Aug 2000 we saw less and less of each other. I did see more of my older brother but he has dementia now (he still knows me) and a younger sister and younger brother are living in the same condo now. Oldest brother's dementia is so bad now I don't think he remembers me (did a Facetime last month); I need to be able to actually visit him which I hope will be this year or at least before he dies. The closest sibling I had was a younger sister but she died in June 1986 at the age of 30. My oldest sister passed away in 2015 but we were not close. Seems most of the time that any of them want to see me it has to do with money. Lately though we have been talking on the phone more and hopefully in the future we will be able to connect again. Sigh...stupid pandemic.
 

I was never close to my older sister,younger brother while we were growing up since I was away at boarding schools age 10-16,saw them during summer&Xmas vacations
I'm very close to my brother now,we talk every Sun,since May we've been doing Sun 'Zoom meeting' with him&his family
I was never close to my sister since she lives In England,lately she has joined our Sun Zoom meeting which is great.I haven't seen her in 8 yrs,my hope we can all be together in person in Sept for a family wedding in NYC
 
Just drifting away from siblings for a moment. As a newly married couple, we befriended four couples, none of which knew each other. Those four couples all had two kids apiece. My wife and I had the honour of being asked to be Godparents to all eight. It was a true privilege, one we that we felt so very complimented to be asked. We don't have kids but we do have eight wonderful Godchildren.

The reason for telling you that is because all eight are now adult, aged between 33 and 48, all text us regularly and are all in contact with us far more than their own parents. Go figure that!
 

This thread is quite depressing but I but I guess it par for course with most siblings. I get along fine with my brother. We're not all that close even though we WhatsApp about once a week.
 
Me and my sister are very close and I would say she is my best friend. We had an older brother, who is gone now, but cut us out of his life years ago. Sadly when he passed he even cut his 2 sons out of his will and left everything to his daughter. He passed away as a very wealthy man and I will never understand how he did what he did to his sons.
 
I have two older sisters and we're very close. The oldest can get bratty but I know she loves us. 😅 I can't find a word to describe her! lol

We're all we've got, sibling wise, that is.

All of our aunts and uncles have passed away as have our parents. My only brother and the youngest of all four of us died in a tragic car accident in 2001.
 
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I an older brother and sister and we have managed to stay close even tho miles separate us. I’ve always considered my brother my second best friend next to my husband. Politics managed to put a polite difference between my VERY democrat brother and my VERY republican sister. I just agree with which ever one I happen to be on the phone with....easier that way💕
 
Was never close to my older brother,made a feeble attempt in 2004 but never got off the ground...
Was always close to my younger brother,our parents died before we were teenagers and we got bounced around some.
Fast forward to the last 10 years,my husband passed and my brothers husband had some hateful conversations with my daughter and myself.
I had just become sober and I cut ties with these 2,they are both terrible alcoholics, the husband is also bipolar and has some health issues related to his lifestyle.
 
Two of my siblings have been deceased for many years now, my oldest sister and my brother. I still have a sister living, but she's in another state, so we're not very close. We still love each other and chat by phone a couple of times a year, occasional email and send birthday and Christmas cards. We always got along, no family problems.
 
Pepper said:
Unless some type of abuse was involved I couldn't disagree with that thought more.
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I'm with you on this generally in spite of the behaviour of most of my siblings as I see it, and I have some very moving words taken from a tapestry, the amazing needlework completed one hundred and fifty years ago concerning a large family, and the hope the parents love, or fathers love, would bind those children together to look after one another into the future.

(if I can find the extract from a different age, I'll try to post it for you)
 
Nosy Bee-54 said:
I get along fine with my brother. We're not all that close even though we WhatsApp about once a week.
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Yeah, that's where me and my fat little brother are.

Since Mom died (he was her fair haired boy), we became 'closer'

Heh, when I was a teen (with a lead foot) he'd always rat me out.
Thinking about it, he ratted me out on most everything I did.

Prolly why I left home early

Now we talk about it all and laugh our hide ends off

...little rat fink
 
horseless carriage said:
Someone once said: "Your friends, you choose. Your family, you're stuck with. Ain't that the truth? My wife has two brothers and two sisters, the two brothers died aged 60 & 64 respectively. My wife's parents have both passed away after living a long life, she and her two sisters are on the phone every other day, or they are texting regularly.

My siblings and I have all drifted apart. It's hard to say why, we are definitely not estranged, the only cause that I can think of is the fact that we have no kids. Why that should ruffle feathers is beyond me, but for one of my sisters, it used to be a big issue, but not so of late.
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Unfortunately...actually broke my heart...my siblings (and I came from a large family) became estranged with me because they did not 'like' my husband...a nationality difference...and of course, we moved always.
 
I had four older sisters, all much older than me. The one closest in age to me is 8 years older...the oldest is 22 years older than me. One sister is dead now. I live across the country from all of the 3 remaining. We are not close but never have been. We get along though...send Christmas cards and very occasionally talk on the phone.

My husband is the same...not close but occasionally they talk on the phone and get along, except for his sister who unfortunately believes in Q and has pulled some pretty terrible things. My husband and siblings do not have anything to do with her.
 
Quote from 150 year old tapestry left in an old farmhouse after the large family it relates to had long moved out:

"We are the children of one father, provided for by his care and the breast of one mother hath given you suck. Let the bonds of affection therefore unite thee with they brothers that peace and happiness may dwell in the brothers house, and when ye separate in the world remember the relationship that bindeth you to love and unity. If thy brother is in adversity assist him, if thy sister is in trouble forsake her not, so shall the fortunes of thy father contribute to the support of his whole race and his care be continued to you all in your love to each other." 👨‍🌾👩‍🌾👭👫🧍‍♂️🧍‍♀️🤱🧑‍🍼👩‍🍼👨‍🍼🤰
 
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My siblings, etc have pretty well all passed...there is a cpl of outlaws (inlaws) left but no contact for many years...but, you know I am still standing! At times, I actually feel like Little Orphan Annie...one of my favourite cartoon strips. Religion + Nationality + were so many factors dictated (small minds) or rather 'craziness'. Such a loss one would think & that is too late to reverse. Well all in all, I am happy, loved, healthy, sane and like I said 'still standing'...you can't ask for more than that. Now, if it wasn't so darn cold, I'd layer up, grab my trusty toboggan from my red shed and find a hill but darn, I don't have a beer in the house...just wine and simply not the same.
One bonus, if you will, about this estrangement of sorts, I wrote a lot of stories, etc and if you look real close you would see a semblance to my past (some of my siblings would have) as I tend to write in the stance of a diarist.
 
dobielvr said:
Yep, same here.
We've all tried to get along thru the years, but my brother gets mad at me for something I do or say. I've apologized, asked for forgiveness...but nothing. It's unfortunate, but oh well, I just miss seeing my niece and nephew. altho , they know where I live! We do speak on the phone occasionally.

And, my sis....too much alcohol to deal with. I have to stay away for my own health. I'm her target.

The sad thing is my mother always told us kids to never hold a grudge.

Both my siblings are older...
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My mum , has always caused trouble between all 5 of us......
She hates any of us getting close...everything has to go through her and still does , even tho she’s 95 ........
Dob.....my eldest sister is a drunk and so rude...I’ve put up with her for years , but finally about 10yrs ago...enough was enough..... Thankgod she’s 400 miles away....!!!
 
charry said:
My mum , has always caused trouble between all 5 of us......
She hates any of us getting close...everything has to go through her and still does , even tho she’s 95 ........
Dob.....my eldest sister is a drunk and so rude...I’ve put up with her for years , but finally about 10yrs ago...enough was enough..... Thankgod she’s 400 miles away....!!!
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We were eight and seemingly got along great...lots of laugh and doing things together...my 5 brothers protected me always...taught me a lot, etc..etc. The problems began when I married a man who was of Russian/German descent and I am French/English...oil and water do not mix! Enough said!
 
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