Are you close to your brother in adulthood?

[Ponderingsunday]

If you’re a woman?

I have one of each. My daughter is the eldest. I am thrilled with my son, and was in no way dissapointed. However, as someone who grew up with sisters who I’m still incredibly close too in adulthood, I can’t help but feel sad for my kids if they won’t have a bond like this. All of my female friends with brothers isn’t close to them in adulthood. I’m hoping this is just my circle and for most people it’s really normal to have close relationship with brothers!

No I was sent away then when I came back he was there.

No. I wish we could be closer but we’re very different in personality, outlook and life priorities. He married pretty disastrously and tbh has been paying for it ever since, which has changed him into a much more bitter person. I'm very sorry for him and I've tried to help him where I can but he’s not open to sharing feelings much.

Plus there have been issues around caring for our elderly DM which essentially fell to me although I live a significant distance away. He’s never acknowledged the (enormous) sacrifices I made or indeed is even aware of them, I suspect. So that simmers in the background for me. It’s sad.

I’m one of four children and we are all very close even though my eldest sister lives in the US, we set up a WhatsApp group just before Covid to coordinate caring for our mum who had Alzheimer’s and we have carried on using it. He lives about 45 minutes from me and I see him regularly for family get together with my sister and our adult children. When I got divorced he supported me a lot, stepping up to be the “ father figure” for my teenage children when their dad couldn’t be bothered. When my American sister lost her husband a few days before last Christmas, he and my other sister dropped everything and flew out to the US for 2 weeks to be with her. I was unable to go as I have very limited mobility.

My son recently got married and all four of us got together for a family holiday, spending a week in a hotel in the area and enjoying lots of days out as well as attending the two wedding events. My son asked my brother to give a reading at the registry office rather than his father. My American sister then stayed on for an extra 2 weeks to look after me following my operation which meant my brother came over a lot.

I recently had my second knee replacement and he came to collect me and took me home then took me back two weeks later to have my staples taken out - he was however too much of a wimp to come into the nurses room with me!

it probably helps that we all support the same football team and this year my American sister and my brother got tickets for the FA Cup Final which took place while she was looking after me so they abandoned me for the weekend!

No. He's 8 years younger than me so 10 when I left home. Lives 400 miles away. Single. We get on fine though when we need too.

I am. Our kids love playing together, they are super close as they are 8, 6 & 4. We are going on holiday with him and his family for 2 weeks in July.

We were very close until he married an extremely abusive woman who has isolated him from his family, doesn't allow him out alone, and won't even let him talk to anyone in the phone without her sitting beside him. We haven't spoken for 15 years, except briefly when we had to when our mother died.

We weren't close as children and we aren't close as adults.

I am, yes. He's a few years younger, and we always used to pretend we were twins when we were kids.

I even tell my partner that no one will ever know me better than my brother. He's just got a sixth sense when it comes to me.

We live on opposite ends of the country now, but we have two WhatsApp groups we're on together - the Family (siblings + my son) one, and then an extended one including our partners/spouses, and my son. (my son is on both because he's a lot older than his first cousins, as I had him when I was young)

We also send each other random gifts throughout the year for no reason.

Yes I am, I travel to see him weekly and all my friends that have sisters aren’t close to their sisters and only see them at Christmas.

I am close to my brother (he’s actually my half brother but I just think of him as my brother). I’m 9 years older so there was a time when we didn’t see each other much while I was away at uni and when my kids were little and he was partying but we got closer again as we got older. We all went on holiday together recently and it was lovely.
I totally agree though that it’s all about personalities rather than male/female differences. I have a DD and a DS who are young adults, they live far away from each other but they text each other and play an online game sometimes and they get on well when we’re all together. I hope they will be in touch with each other more as they get older like my brother and me.
i did always want a sister as I really enjoy female company but I also have friends who don’t like their sisters so it’s never guaranteed.

No, but that’s because he’s a deeply unpleasant person with racist, sexist views.

Yes. We speak most days and have a couple of family WA group goings (with different combinations of participants).

I have a brother and a sister. I used to be closer to my sister but my brother has kids the same age as mine which has made us closer as adults.

My husband isn't close to his sister - I think because his parents especially his mother has always been very clear that she didn't expect boys and girls to have anything in common, always treated them very differently. My parents never seemed outwardly to expect me and my sister to be closer to each other than to our brother which I think has made all the difference

No. Used to be. Sadly not now.

Sounds difficult for you

Depends what you mean by close. I love my brother and would say we are close. We socialise at family occasions and I enjoy his company. But we both have busy lives and don’t have a constant ‘in and out of each others weekly routine’ type of deal
I know absolutely that I can count on h for anything though, and me for him

Yes. Although we are both busy people and don't spend a lot of time together, I'm here if he needs me and vice versa.

He's older, we have the same sense of humour. 😊

My brother is amazing! We have a fantastic relationship.

I have a younger brother whom I haven't seen in person for a few years, but we text now and then. I would describe the relationship as cordial but not close.

That is so lovely!!

No, I've spoken to him twice in six months. I see my sister all the time.

Hated my little brother through childhood but as adults he’s one of my favourite people. Both in our 40’s with families but we speak/message every couple of days. I have younger sisters too but am far closer to my DB

No, I'm not close to my brother or my sister. They are selfish and let us down badly in a an unforgivable way.

I am very close to my other sister.

Nope. See each other at family events, have literally no contact outside of that!

No. We are like chalk and cheese and he drives me nuts. We meet up once a year at Christmas.
I keep in touch with his daughter though.