How many siblings do you have and has that been a positive or negative for you?

[Whatsgoingonwithmyhead]

I’ll start.

2 siblings, all very close in age

Growing up we didn’t play together loads and certainly from age 8/9 onwards we just played with our own school friends and I didn't interact with my siblings much.
(This was party probably influenced by the fact my parents didn’t do stuff to help us bond, e.g. we didn’t really go on family holidays or have shared hobbies or interests)

Money was quite tight with three kids in the house so I didn’t get to do stuff I would have liked e.g. I was desperate to do ice-skating as a child but my parents couldn’t afford it / manage the logistics so I didn’t get to do it.

As an adult my sister has mental health issues and is hugely reliant on my mum, meaning I never get to spend any time with my mum without my sister (they live together and mum refuses to leave sister home alone to come and visit me, I now live the other side of the country so it’s an overnight trip). So it’s massively impacted my relationship with my mum & not in a good way.

My younger brother moved far away and does his own thing / isn’t very communicative so I don’t have much to do with him at all, although he’s pleasant enough.

So overall although my siblings are good people, I don’t understand at all when people say a child needs siblings.

One younger brother by 18 months. Have never got on. Haven't seen him in two years.
He was a bully growing up to our parents too and I can't forget. You don't get rewarded with a sibling relationship for that.

One brother, never got on, can't think of a single positive of having him as a sibling - oh apart from his children.

My sister is 2.5 years younger. The day she was born is my first memory. I can not remember a time when I didn't love her completely and utterly. I cannot imagine life without her. Then 10 years later we had a brother. We get on ok but it's not the same.

2 siblings. Sister 7 years older and brother 5 years older. They fought growing up but I got on with them both. Then things went sour with my brother and we had a rocky few years. There is still a lot of resentment between us but our kids adore each other. I suspect we would barely be in touch if it weren't for them. My sister I adore, but we've had our rocky times too. I chose to have just one and I'm happy with that. My friends who were onlies had very happy childhoods without any of the drama and resentment.

I’m one of six.

i was close to one sister growing up, but less so now, because I have moved to another country. I hated being in a big family. There was never enough time or money.

The advantage of a big family as an adult is that I don’t feel guilty about aged care for my parents, as I know that this is in hand.

OTOH, DH is an only, so we have a lot on our hands looking after FIL who is becoming increasingly frail.

Only child here, and I really wish I'd had siblings. On the plus side we were financially comfortable and I certainly got to do lots of hobbies, have nice holidays and have my own room (I know some of my friends with siblings definitely envied me that when we were growing up!).

My parents went through an unpleasant divorce in my teens, and my Dad took up with an absolutely vile woman who was horrid, and it felt incredibly lonely at times. I think it would have been good to have a sibling then, all my friends were sympathetic but no one really 'got it' and it still feels a bit like that today.

I'm also conscious as my Mum ages that everything is on me, earlier this year she was in the ICU in hospital and it was pretty serious at one point. And there was no-one but me to deal with it, I was popping up to the hospital to sit with her on my own, every day - I do have a fantastic DH but he was at home with our small kids. I remember looking at two sisters going in to visit their Mum and thinking I wish I had someone else around for this. It felt really lonely, I remember feeling a bit crap emailing in to work about my absence to my line manager (who is lovely, but I know from chatting to her that she has a big family network around) and trying to explain that my Mum was divorced, and all our distant family was 200 miles away, and it was just me.

I know there's no guarantee we'd be close, or that they would have been supportive during any of the above, but I would have liked a sibling I think! Or at least a few cousins nearby, I'm very envious of big families who live in the same area!

I am one of 5. I love them all. Number 5 is my confidante. Selfishly speaking, I am glad my parents didn't stop at 4.

I have one sister. Close as children then drifted apart for a few years whilst she discovered drugs. Then she kicked that and now we see each other regularly again. We’re very different but I love having someone to share/recall my childhood memories with and she was great when my mum was ill recently. Also, she has been the most brilliant auntie to my DCs and has lavished them with love and affection.

I have 2 girls (teenagers) and they are, and always have been, the very best of friends. I hope that continues though their lives.

I don't understand why people think children need siblings either as it seems the majority of siblings don't tend to like each other! I think alot of people have them hoping they'll play with each other and entertain each other and make it easier on them.

I wish my sister had lived.

Awful brothers and negative impact.

One brother who was the golden child but doesn't realise it.

We have nothing in common and last year I got fed up of it and stopped talking to him.

I know it is killing my dad but I just cannot put up with his behaviour any more.

3 siblings, I’m the eldest then it’s boy, girl, boy. Eldest brother is the black sheep we don’t talk to him anymore but we do see my nephews regularly ( due to his mother being lovely), sister we get along now but didn’t really growning up because she was always compared to me in school and she resented that. Youngest brother is autistic, he still lives at home and we all try to care for him.

I (49F) am an only child. Had a great childhood, very happy. I have a close relationship with both parents (still together) and I did always want a sibling but I don’t think it would have made things better, I just wanted what everyone else had!
That said, I always vowed never to just have one. I’ve got 2 DDs (15 and 18) and they get on but do rub each other the wrong way. We still all go on family holidays and it is mainly a good dynamic as they get older. I think neither of them would prefer to be an only child.
As my parents get older and are needing more help, I can see how a sibling would make things easier and take the pressure off me (and have someone to emotionally share the burden), but that’s in an ideal world as there’s nothing to say we’d get on or share the burden anyway!

Am the eldest of 4, the youngest was born after I left home, I get on well with him and my younger sister, I am no contact with the other one

One sibling younger than me. We've always got on and he was my go to for any problems or opinions needed.
Our parents were quite cold and controlling at times and me and my sibling could moan/talk it over together so it was a great support to each other at times. He passed away a year ago and I miss him so very much. Now it's just me left to deal with the parents on my own. I often think of what he would do/say

No siblings. I was always jealous of those with siblings but I am close with my mum and dad. I was always terrified of being on my own when they get older but I have a wonderful husband and two beautiful boys who have a lovely relationship so I’ll be ok. I think the grass is always greener.

I have 3 siblings, overall positive and supportive although one sibling has gone low contact with us all due to his spouse.

it’s not just about how you get on with them though, my DH also has 2 siblings and they have all looked after their parents at different times and in different ways. Similarly we also split the load of caring for parents and its really helped at a time in our lives when we all have young children and other responsibilities.

One younger brother. We disliked each other to some extent all our lives. Even in our forties he feels the need to criticise and needle me at every opportunity.

Seeing a friend who adored both her sisters and had a really close family is the only reason I dared have more than one child myself.

And my kids are very close to each other at 11 and 8.

I've got 5 sisters. I'm the 4th of 5. My eldest sister is 12 years older than me and 16 years older than my youngest sibling. We all get on well. Parents both dead now but we sisters all meet up a few times a year and it involves me driving for 3 hours and one sister flying in from overseas.

I’m one of 7, all very close in age, I’m in the middle. Had a lot of fun growing up. Also bickered & we were very overcrowded & my nan also lived with us. Didn’t have much material stuff and our home was very messy think my parents gave up trying to keep on top of it. We were a very laid back household & we all still are. Was often jealous of a particular friend who only had one sibling, their home was so quiet and ordered. We are all still close despite not living near each other.

Theirs 4 of us (2 boys and 2 girls) all 2 years apart. All live within 10 minutes of each other and all get on really well, including extended families. Parents still in family house. Mine and my siblings kids all get on and see each other independently. We're a rich family growing up but always had everything we needed and most of what we wanted and appreciated each other. Had hand me downs and learnt to share and loose at games. Their have been big fall outs over the years but never so big not been able to fix. If theirs a party it's big as if my party I would invite my brothers/sister wife family and it just gets bigger each year

I'm the eldest,3 brothers (2 and a half years then 6 years older-last two are twins)

If they all dropped dead tomorrow,I'd shrug and carry on with my day

Our mother is a narc,my father enables her and she's made me into the scapegoat-they are all that frightened of losing their golden child statuses,they joined in treating me like crap

I didn't really grow up with them-there is no bond at all

The youngest has been trying to wiggle back into my life,but I know it's only so he can be my mother's flying monkey so I just ignore him (somethings cannot be undone-words and actions)

I'm 65.. Four sisters .. 3 older one younger.. see them all regularly.. 3 live near by.. one 2 hours drive.. visit once a month.
All close growing up. Family caravan Holidays.
Great Christmas's.
When l had my eldest daughter .. was told l couldn't have any more due to endometriosis and PCOS .. but l preserved and 8 years later had her sister.. they are very close.
My ex husband was an only child and gosh did l know it.. spoilt all his life.. even until he was 60 when his parents past away.

Zero and I'm a super happy only child, raising a happy only child.