To ask if there is such a thing as the 'Perfect family?

[LeopardPrint12]

Mine make me so miserable.
There are constant double standards, favouritism and criticism. I am no contact with quite a few of my extended family also.
I see so many instances where people seem so close to their siblings and actively enjoy family time. Honestly? A lot of the time I feel my life would be a LOT happier if I lived a million miles away from them all.
Do others relate or am I just unlucky?

So move a million miles away from them all? I have no contact with my mother or siblings. I have a great relationship with my dad now as an adult. I'm also a single parent. I consider my little family perfect because they bring me joy every day. Only possible to feel this way because, rightly or wrongly, I cut the bad'uns.

Because it's that easy when I have jobs and commitments here?

Everywhere I look people seem so happy within their family groups. Maybe I just got unlucky.

i can reassure you @LeopardPrint12 , there are many, many unhappy families! And families are very complicated..in my own wider family, there’s a lot of love, but a collection of some very strong personalities, physical and MH problems, geographical distance and broken relationships mean that the bonds are often very stretched and stressful.

I do get that pain of seeing families who seem to actively enjoy family time in an uncomplicated way, and where the siblings are close, but I know that’s only part of the whole picture.

Yes, I suppose social media doesn't help me feel any better x

Then the simple solution is to keep off social media. I do (apart from MN obvs!), and no longer feel I need to compare my life to the “perfect” lives pictured all over FB and the likes. It also helps to remember that even the outwardly most perfect looking families have their own issues, secrets, scandals and tragedies which they certainly won’t be documenting for the public gaze. There really is no such thing as the “perfect family” because people aren’t perfect.

Ours is pretty good. Perfect? Of course not. No such thing 🤣

I know I need to stop going on FB. Everyone else's families just seem so normal and close but I accept that social media isn't always the true story.

Yes not easy. Mine ok. But I see families living too close that can be unhealthy too. My friend and her sibling fell out. It will never be right as its gone too long now sad.