For those of us with very small families...

My situation is pretty similar. I am very lucky to have a partner, but without him I would be entirety alone. The future fills me with anxiety and fear.

I'm from a huge family. Lots of uncles/ aunts/ cousins. They're all
Really close. My parents estranged themselves from their families though when I was little so they have no contact with them. I see pictures on social media all the time of the extended family getting together and I feel so isolated and left out. I have sporadic contact but it's usually when they want to try and link in with my parents as opposed to put any effort in with me so I've just accepted now that's how it is. Im mostly ok with it just being me DH and DD, but I feel sad for DD tht I can't give her to big Xmas family do etc. all her friends hve big families and spend time with them whereas in comparison special holidays are spent just the three of us (or sometimes just two as one of us might have to work bank holidays etc).
DH has a biggish family but it's broken so days when we get together are rare.
Sometimes I feel lonely but I accepted that. The biggest hurt is that I have let DD down by not providing a big welcoming family for her, even though I know it's now my fault, I feel like I've failed her.

It's from a few months ago and has been resurrected.

I prefer just ds and me as that is all I have. He is 19. Just because people have an family doe s not mean they get on.

Ds has family on his dad's side to visit plus friends so he isn't isolsted.

Has this thread been posted before under a different username? Seems very familiar to me

It is what it is.

As long as your healthy and managing that's all.that matters.
Family is overated anyway. You've only got to read this forum to see all the family fallouts etc.
Family do.not always have your back or care anyway.

Quite. One of my adult DC definitely won't be having children, the other one doesn't want any, and in isn't in a good place mentally.

Ah, this is such a difficult scenario and I really feel for you. I too am an only child, as is my partner and it's the reason I feel unable to have a child (or even children). There would be just no family at all for them. Who would look after them should anything happen to us. It's so sad. Good luck and best wishes with however you proceed.

I’m an only, married to an only. A few cousins on my side but I’ve not seen them since I was a child. My parents are in their 80s and I’ve never been close to them as an adult. His parents not that old but mindset is. At our wedding it was all friends.

I think that I might be pregnant, I’m 42 and bringing a child into the world with literally no family doesn’t seem like a sensible thing to do.

i did want to say though that as a child as an only I had the best childhood, loads of friends, always out, I never felt like I missed out. It’s only now I’m older I look around and realise what I haven’t got.

OK yes, sorry. Understood.

Yes we are a small family. DH and I are childless and have no surviving parents, DH is an only and I have one sibling who has a partner and teenage child. They live quite close fortunately.

I was thinking less about you (sorry!) than the person you were responding to. You suggested meeting people in the same situation, both online and IRL. This is one way of doing that. Fine if you personally don’t want this resource, of course, but other people might

Thank you but I am not sure that organisation is for me. I am not yet 40 so I don't feel like I am aging (even though I obviously am). Also my lack of family isn't just down to having no children. It's a lack of siblings and cousins etc too.

Ageing Well Without Children has both male and female members. It can be a bit of a miseryfest on Facebook, especially at Christmas, but they have useful discussions https://www.awwoc.org

Well said.

My DCs that's about it.

No siblings.

No aunts or uncles.

No cousins I'll ever see again in my lifetime.

I see my parents but don't have a normal loving relationship with them. Eg I couldn't go to them with a problem.

I am my own safety net.

That’s not what the OP is about. The situation is the OP and a sibling. No children. How will that increase to an extended family of 15 from thin air? People posting on here about DP and DC could usefully reread the question because many of the responses are rubbing salt into the wound. It’s really hard.

Me. I have a mum, grandfather (who probably won't be here much longer) and a DS, that's it. I have some extended family but barely see them.

Doesn't bother me. My friends are my family and I spend more time with them. Christmas is usually only me and DS, I love it, we can do whatever we want, cook whatever we want and it's a lot cheaper!

Thank you, there are lots of good suggestions there.

@Thunderandlightningisfrightening i wish I had been an only, my siblings have made my life miserable and I don't speak to them now.

I don't know many people now who get on with their siblings. It's never a guarantee that everyone will get on.

I feel like this too. Tiny family like you and I miss my mum for all those reasons, you explained it so perfectly. It’s awful sad. Sending hugs.

Yes, tiny. I was an only child, both my parents have died. My uncle and aunts have also died. I'm not married. Two adult DC, one with a severe learning disability who lives in supported living, and one with mental health problems. It feels like just me most of the time 🙁

I do have friends, thank goodness.

@FiveShelties
Thank you 😩 I miss him so much 😭

I am so sorry you have lost your dog.

I have a very small family and I've just lost my dog. I'm devastated 😢