Siblings

[Karlifornia]

I have two half-sisters from my dad. One has cerebral palsy, lives in LA, and I haven't seen or spoken to her since my early childhood. The other one lives in Sunnyvale (mere minutes from where I live), and is bright as can be, charming, and is about to graduate from high school. I don't speak to her more than once a year. I'm 24 now, so at this point I consider the fact that we aren't close my fault, but dad wasn't around to help foster and instill the familial closeness, so I largely blame him.

I'm going to have dinner with my dad and sister tonight, and I'm both dreading it and looking forward to it. I want to get closer to my sis, as I feel that we could symbiotically benefit from a healthy relationship with each other, but I also know that I'll have to live down my neglect, which is painful to me.

Anyhoo, who else here has siblings, and how close are you to them? Do you enjoy their company, or do you just feel obligated to stay in contact with them because of our tribal instincts?

[JonInMiddleGA]

do you just feel obligated to stay in contact with them because of our tribal instincts?

I've seen worse descriptions of it.

[CamEdwards]

I have a sister I'm relatively close to, as well as a brother that I don't speak to. I also have two half-sisters that I talk to once or twice a year, and a step-brother and sister I don't really know all that well. I'm also the youngest by far, which I think plays a big role.

[Groundhog]

I have a brother who is a year younger than me. He was a nightmare to live with when we were growing up (he had some messed up things happen to him that, through no fault of his own, have turned him in to the person he is today), and when I was 22 I moved out of home and basically very rarely saw or spoke to either him or my mum (dad passed away when I was very young). Probably spoke with my mum a few times a year, and my brother less than that.

That didn't really bother me at all because my family wasn't very close when I was growing up, largely because of my brother's behaviour. I'd go up in my room and shut the door and play video games/listen to music, so living away from them didn't affect me much.

4 years on and I have, largely due to my gf's prodding, been seeing more of both of them. I don't think I'll ever be very close to my brother as he is the polar opposite of me (very right wing, argumentative, and confrontational), but to be honest I actually enjoy catching up with him at times and even invite him out occassionaly if I'm nearby, which 2 years ago I could never have imagined. It has sort of made me understand the bond that most other people I know have with their sibblings that I never really understood before.

I don't know that I so much "enjoy his company" though, it's probably more along the "tribal instinct" path.

[Lathum]

I would do anything for my sister and neice and nephews. After her husband killed himself I realized just how much they meant to me.

[SteveMax58]

I love my (2) brothers and (2) sisters...but we arent that close. Strange how the brother I was closest to growing up is the sibling I see/talk with the least. Kinda sad, the older I get, really.

Of course...me being the youngest(by 7 years...I'm an oops)...I just blame them for us not being so close.

[hawk4669]

I don't have any REAL bro/sis....have 2 half sisters, 1 half brother, 2 step brothers, and 1 step sister.

Now, the one I grew up with....a half sister....I have no use for. She is a RN and a productive member of society....however....

She's married to an abusive man who abuses her, AND was abusive to my niece from my sister's first marriage. My sister refused to see it and did NOTHING about it. Now my niece, thankfully, is living with her real father (a great caring father) and is thriving.

This is not to mention that my sister ripped my father off for literally thousands of dollars to "seek a divorce and hire an attorney...." yet low and behold she's still with the asshole. Yeah, my dad was a bit naieve....but he's a dad and wanted to help her.

In short, I have about as little respect for my sister as I could ever consider for someone.

Ok, I'm done.

Go about your business.

Cheers!

[Raiders Army]

I have two half-sisters from my dad.

Awesome. One birthday card a year and you're good.

[Buccaneer]

It is an interesting relationship I have with my two brothers, one is 2 years younger and the 14 years younger. I fought with the older one constantly while we were growing up and into adulthood, he has become a person that is quite different than my other brother and our dad. I love him but we are not that close since I never worked on developing common interests between us. My youngest brother, on the other hand, is a person after my own heart. We share many of the same interests (despite our age difference), our love for history, music, traveling, baseball, games, social drinking, etc. He is very smart and so our conversations have been and still are quite spirited even though he's in SF. Modern technology has enabled us to stay close.

[wade moore]

I have one brother, a twin brother (lordscarlet on this board). As many twins are, we are very very close - even despite now living 150ish miles apart. I'd follow him into the pits of hell because I'm not sure what I'd do if he went in without me and didn't come back.

[Logan]

I have an older brother (by 10 years) and an older sister (by 7 years). Yes, I was a complete mistake.

That being said, my brother is easily the most important person in my life. I guess the age difference allowed for me to look up to him as slightly more than a brother (ie we never "fought" like the typical brothers would, primarily because of our age difference). I was completely honored to be his best man at his wedding in 2004 (and delivered a fuckin sweet best man speech which he deserved). Having entered the real world well ahead of me, he made sure I always had a few extra bucks in my pocket to do whatever I felt I needed to, and was there to guide me through whatever tough decision I faced. The guy is truly a good person, and I am aware enough to realize that there are very few of these people in the world.

My sister is a different type of person. Not that she's never been there for me (she was, especially emotionally), but she just has a different mindset about things. Hard to describe, but I knew I always had her in my corner even if I never asked for it.

Most importantly, they both provided me with two of the best things in my life, and that is their daughters, my nieces. The amount of joy I get from them is insane...just watching them grow up, watching them develop, I wouldn't trade it for anything. They are just so cute and so ridiculously sweet, every time I get to hang with them is unreal. Honestly, how could you not melt when your 2 year old niece turns to you, with her head on her hand, and says "Uncle Logie, I miss you...what should we talk about?"

[King of New York]

I have one brother, a twin brother (lordscarlet on this board). As many twins are, we are very very close - even despite now living 150ish miles apart. I'd follow him into the pits of hell because I'm not sure what I'd do if he went in without me and didn't come back.

Give up line dancing on Youtube? :)

[johnnyshaka]

My brother (we're both adopted and he's two years younger) was my best man and I was his. We live at opposite ends of the country but we still talk a couple times a week. Growing up we did fight, as most siblings do, but for the most part we were best buddies and I don't ever see that changing despite living two time zones away the past 10 years.

During the last 10 years I've been getting to know my half-brother (8 years younger) and my half-sister (12 years younger)...I was a teenage "oops". Both of them have recently moved a couple of hours away but we talk or see each other at least once a month. I'm nowhere near as close to my half-siblings but given time, I think we'll end up being very good friends.

[lordscarlet]

My brother is an asshole.













:p

[GrantDawg]

I have three sisters I barely talk to. It is awkward when we do, because we have nothing in common besides growing up together. My mom calls regularly, and I love her dearly.

[sabotai]

Anyhoo, who else here has siblings, and how close are you to them? Do you enjoy their company, or do you just feel obligated to stay in contact with them because of our tribal instincts?

Middle child. I have an older brother by 2 years and a sister who is 7 years younger. Not close to them, nor do I feel any obligation to stay in contact with them.

The main problem with my brother is his wife and her family (and now, his daughter). I can't stand any of them. His wife is a complete bitch, my niece takes after her, and her family is....painful to be around. They had Thanksgiving at their house this past year. I made up some excuse and didn't go.

My sister has been a total fuck-up most of her life. She seems to finally have gotten her act together now that she is with a guy who is also not a fuck-up (all the guys before him were white trash assholes). But I wouldn't say I have any desire or feel an obligation to stay in contact with her, or any family memeber. I do, but mainly just to "keep the peace".

[Neon_Chaos]

Seeing as how I am half-Chinese, I basically grew up with a tight-knit traditional family.

"Never side against the family." ;)

[Icy]

I'm the only child... or am I not?

My parents divorced 2 years ago (mutual agreement as the love was over, but they keep a good relationhship). Both have a new couple now. The whole thing didn't affect me a lot, as i was 30 years old and married already when it happened so i'm just happy about them and have a good relationship with my parents and their couples (we talk by phone or meet once per week, specially now with my recent new baby).

My mother's couple has a son from another marriage so i guess he could be considered my brother, but it's kinda weird as he is 32 years old too and we have meet only once.

Anyway its just a funy situation and I make jokes about having now all the sudden two mothers, two fathers and a new brother :D

[lordscarlet]

We actually have the same thing, Icy. Our mother remarried a year ago when we were 27 and her new husband has 2 kids. (However, our parents divorced 25 years ago). We've met them each a couple times.

[wade moore]

We actually have the same thing, Icy. Our mother remarried a year ago when we were 27 and her new husband has 2 kids. (However, our parents divorced 25 years ago). We've met them each a couple times.

Yeah - no offense to them, but they're not family to me ;).

[JeeberD]

I have an older brother (7 years older) and an older sister (5 years older) and we're all very close. It certainly helps that we all live in the DFW area now, and that we all have a mutual passion for UTEP sports (if you think I'm UTEP crazy, you should see my sister!). My parents live up here now as well, so it's very cool having the entire family in the area, while also not being so close as to always be running into each other without planning it...

[Schmidty]

Lots of harsh people in here.

I have 2 sisters and a brother, and I'd do anything for all of them. I guess I'm like that with any of my friends or family, close or otherwise. I'm almost agressive in my loyalty.

[MIJB#19]

My brother is four years younger than me and I we an some sort of love/hate basis. When we were younger we used to fight a lot, we still do with words, and that tension always seems to hang around. Still, I wouldn't want to get out of contact with him. I am (we both are) closer with our two sisters. One is just 18 months younger than me, we've gone through life together. My other sister is 9 years younger. We're all protective about her. I don't look forward to not seeing her a lot, which is probably inevitable.

Yeah, I'd follow them into hell, especially my sisters. So don't physically hurt either of my two sisters, because if my brother and I find out, you wish you were never born.

[Suburban Rhythm]

I could probably choose the first option, but I went with the 'we get along pretty well' deal.

Middle chlid, sister 2 years older and sister 8 years younger. So now 34, 32 and 24.

When we were very little, my older sister was my best friend. But she was then, and is now, controlling. She knew when she was 5 or 6 years old, she wanted to be a teacher. So, all we ever played was school. I just went along with it. Throughout HS and college (ended up at the same school) we still got along well, and some mutual friends. Now, she's my sister and i love her, but i find my self trying to avoid her sometimes, which is terrible. She's recently married, no kids. I'll be married 8 years this summer, kids are 3 1/2 and 17 months. She'll call to talk to my daughter (3 1/2) and I find myself not even wanting to answer the phone.

My younger sister, just the opposite. Partly because of age I guess, but when I was in my teens, and her grade school age, she hated me. Period. I am sure I tortured her, that is what big brothers do. But as I got older, got married, she was sort of our kid before we had kids (her and my wife get along great). When we were going to concerts etc when we were 21 or 22, she was 13 or 14 and going along with us. I know I always have a built in buddy for Penguins games. But in the last year or so, we've had clashes.

My wife is a nurse, working PT. So weekdays we both work, we are lucky (and grateful) that my parents can watch the kids. Saves us a boat load on child care! Younger sister still living at home (just finished a 2nd degree) constantly has opinions on how we are incorrectly raising our kids, and how she'd do it different.

But, I guess that is what brothers and sisters do-- be there for each other and love one another...and annoy the hell out of each other!

[Pumpy Tudors]

My friend's sister has huge tits.

Oh, my siblings? I have a sister, and we're pretty close.

[st.cronin]

I am not close to any of my family. Mostly we have a policy of mutual avoidance.

[BrianD]

My only sibling is a sister who is about 5 years older. Growing up we hated each other. She was very mean and had a quick temper so I avoided her as much as possible. About the time I graduated from High School, our relationship got much better. We both live quite close to our parents and we both have very good relationships with our parents. At this point (39 and 34), we genuinely like each other and enjoy spending time together...even if we don't get together more than once or twice a month.

[Jas_lov]

I love both of my brothers and my sister very much and would do anything for them. My older sister and I only live about 10 minutes apart so we see each other a lot and get along very well. My two younger brothers are still in high school and we live a few hours away from them so we see them less, but we all get along great. Spending time with family is important because a man that doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man.

[Tiphnie]

I have two siblings a younger brother (2 years) and a younger sister (6 years).

My brother is a drain on society and has fathered 3 children with three women, married one of them then cheated on her and got divorced all before the ripe old age of 25. Has never worked for more than a month at any job, and well yeah I don't talk to him at all.

My sister and I however are very close. We are exact polar opposites and fought like cats and dogs when we lived together but after I moved out we became the best of friends. We barely go 2 days without seeing each other or talking on the phone. I would do anything for her and I know she would for me! :)

[timmynausea]

I have both ends of the spectrum. I have a brother 2 years younger and half sister 15 years younger (on my mom's side) that I am as close to as I am to anyone. I also have 3 half siblings on my dad's side that I essentially don't know at all and very likely never will.

[jeff061]

The only times I see my sister I'm continually reminded why I am thankful they are so few. Though to be honest, I'm the asshole in this relationship.