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Original poster

How many immediate family members do you have?

134 replies

HazieDazie · 26/10/2021 22:47

I was talking to a friend earlier and they commented that my situation is unusual…

I’m 51, my husband is 57 and between us we have….

My mum and me (my dad died 17 years ago)
My husband (his parents died over 40 years ago, no siblings)

So essentially there is just the 3 of us. I do have cousins on my mums side but no family on dads side and DH has no other family. Neither of us have children.

Are we unusual?

OP posts:
nordica · 27/10/2021 11:47

[quote senorafridgidaire]@Hbh17 I'm not sure anyone is saying it's more important. But I think a lot of people who do have multiple good, supportive family relationships, it's an anchor, a place they always belong and always have someone to turn to. If you don't have that (I don't) then it can feel like you're missing out on something that other people have just been lucky enough to be born into.[/quote]
Exactly this. And a sense that your sister will always be your sister but friends come and go. Even if your family relationships are not good right now, at least there's a possibility they can improve. But I'll never get to be anyone's sister or aunt or cousin.

Hmumoftw0 · 27/10/2021 11:51

Loads but unfortunately none worth having

DampSquidGames · 27/10/2021 11:59

Three DC
DH
DM
Brother and his family
Many aunts and uncles who I see once a year.
Even more cousins that I see less.
On my DH’s side, many BILs and SILs who I see once a year.
2 best friends and few other friends.
I would have liked to have had a sister or a daughter.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Families
crazycrofter · 27/10/2021 12:14

Me, dh and two teens.
One grandparent, four parents, eight siblings and five spouses
Fourteen nephews and nieces ranging from 30s and married with kids to preschooler.

We’re in touch with all of the above to varying degrees (just went for breakfast with my parents, my brother and his family). I’ve also got 6 sets of uncles and aunts and 18 cousins but rarely see most of them. Dh has 2 sets of uncles and aunts and five cousins.

Big families have their pros and cons. There can be a lot of drama!

TheCanyon · 27/10/2021 12:21

Both my dhs parents were adopted, so on his side it's just his dad, two half siblings and 3 nephews.

I still have two grandparents, both parents, two brothers, 4 nieces/nephews ( 7 step niece/nephews), 7 aunt/uncles and 17 cousins.

We don't live near any of them though so apart from parents and siblings, we've not seen extended family since my grans funeral I think 5 years ago.

Guacamole001 · 27/10/2021 12:29

I only have a 16 yr old ds. No siblings and parents deceased. Not close to cousins as all much older. Ds has plenty family on his dad's side though.

ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba · 27/10/2021 12:37

@kowari

By blood, grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, siblings, cousins, children and niblings, 14.
@kowari

what are niblings??
I love the sound of it!🤣

badlydrawnbear · 27/10/2021 12:57

I have 2DC, my DH died recently. I have both my parents, 3 siblings, 2 of them are married, 2 nieces. I also have a grandparent, aunts, uncles and cousins but don’t see them very often. I also consider my in-laws to be family. DH had parents, 3 siblings, 1 of them is married, total of 4 children between them.

EndlessRose · 27/10/2021 13:17

My brother, my two children and me. That's all.

Both of my parents were only children so no other family.

StCharlotte · 27/10/2021 13:39

ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba

"Niblings" means nieces and nephews in the same way that siblings means brothers and sisters.

QueryA · 27/10/2021 14:18

Not me but one of my friends is an only child, and she married an only child. 3/4 of the parents have passed on. So a very simialar set up to you really. She does however have 2 children. I'm not sure of aunts/uncles cousins. I know this influcenced her decision to have 2 children.

I also know a friend on my mum's (so early 70s) who has no living relative, no parents, no siblings, no children, no husband. She is a lovely lady. Unfortunately loosing her sight now which means she is moving into assisted accomodation, which may or may not have happened if she had family support, you just can't tell.

It is what is is to a certain extent. You can't change your family set up and, like a lot of things in life, just have to make your peace with it and make the most of everything

JorisBonson · 27/10/2021 14:20

Not unusual OP. It's me, my mum, dad and brother, and DH of course.

I have many aunties, uncles and cousins but we're not close.

einekleinenachtarbeit · 27/10/2021 14:20

Me and my dp, 4 kids between us. I have quite a few cousins but don't see them. I'm friends with one on facebook and occasionally communicate via that. Have met a few cousins at several funerals last year but doubt we would ever have met up otherwise. My parents died a couple of years ago and their siblings are all dead too apart from one. I'm an only child though my partner is one of 6. He still sees them occasionally but isn't mega close. Difference is his family still live locally whereas mine moved all over. Once my granddad died and we all grew up that was the end of it.

einekleinenachtarbeit · 27/10/2021 14:21

@QueryA I'm in a similar situation to your friend and that's what influenced me to have 2 children.

Frymetothemoon · 27/10/2021 14:22

Other than my parents I have one sister, one aunt, one uncle and three cousins. That's it

MissDollyMix · 27/10/2021 14:26

My family = My mother, my husband and my two children. No siblings. I always wanted a large family (lots of children) but sadly it wasn’t to be. I have dogs instead. They’re very much part of my immediate family Grin DH has a larger family who we get on ok with but they’re on the other side of the country and very much ‘his’ family, not mine.

Oblomov21 · 27/10/2021 14:36

Loads.
I'm one of 3, Dh one of 6, we've both got 6 cousins, some of Dh's brothers and sisters have had 4 children of their own, who also have had 3 children.

Family party huge.

stairgates · 27/10/2021 14:47

Me and DH both have massive families but we don't see them apart from funerals etc.

kowari · 27/10/2021 15:57

Like siblings, collective term for nieces or nephews

kowari · 27/10/2021 15:58

@kowari

Like siblings, collective term for nieces or nephews
*@ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba* Sorry, quote fail
FinallyMrsE · 27/10/2021 16:02

We have a big family, me, DH, 2 x adult DS, teenage DSS, 2 x young DD’s.
I have DM, DF and 2 siblings, one with 2 children that I’m close too.
DH has DM, Dsdad, dad (lives abroad but speaks to regularly, and 2 siblings both with children, we see them less but enjoy their company every couple of months.

Can you find a way to make more friends and make them your family? Maybe look at hobbies, clubs you’d both enjoy?

Camomila · 27/10/2021 16:03

I have DM, DF, DBro
DH has DM, DF, DBro
and together we have 2DSs.

I still have one grandmother, and then we both have tons of aunties/uncles/first and second cousins.

We're close to the cousins on dads side of the family because the extended family has mainly lived in the same tiny village for 100s of years and everyone likes to go back and visit regularly.

ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba · 27/10/2021 16:34

@kowari

thanks. never heard of it!
I was wondering if it meant babies who are yummy & highly munchable 🤣

Chicchicchicchiclana · 27/10/2021 19:00

The unusual thing about my family is that I have 4 siblings and only 2 of us have children. The rest are child free and will stay that way - they are 62, 43 and 41.

thereisonlyoneofme · 27/10/2021 19:31

Not one single person , I am the last of my line !