Positive stories of siblings with big age gaps

[reluctantlondoner]

Hello, I would be grateful for your stories about siblings with large age gaps. Would be 7ish years age gap. Would be helpful to hear from adults who grew up with siblings either large age gaps and how was it growing up, are you close now etc. and also from parents who had babies with large age gaps, how did you find it etc? Was the baby a good thing for existing children or was it mostly limiting / difficult? Did it ever get better? Thank you in advance

Nine years between me and my littlest brother (two years between me and the middle one). It wasn't good and I would never have a big gap between kids. It meant that our parents weren't able to do the fun exciting stuff we were ready for as we got older because someone always had to look after the baby, and then the toddler. Revising was hard with a noisy youngster around. Most of the energy ended up going on the youngest brother as obviously young children are hard work and our needs got sidelined. Hard to do sports and see friends in the evenings unless both parents home because the youngest needed to be in bed. Plus we never got on until I left home, and aren't close now (although much better than when we lived together). I have a good relationship with the brother who's closer in age.

Sister two years younger who I didn't get on with. Brother 9 years younger who I always loved (even though he had behaviour issues when young) and get on well with to this day. We have a lot in common.

I have a 6 year gap between mine. They get on ok but do still bicker, it was better when second was a baby and small toddler and they didn't argue. We do have to split into two twos to entertain them often but it's nice having one on one time with them. Never had two sets of nursery fees at once and can spread uni costs (second one might no go though). I liked have to school day with just the baby on mat leave going to baby groups or coffee rather than taking the baby along to toddler groups. Oldest can hear youngest read and get her snacks etc. We have to store clothes and toys for ages waiting for the younger one to grow into them. Older one had to keep her toys upstairs in her room till youngest was old enough not to choke on them. I wouldn't have coped well with a toddler and a baby so it's the best way for us.

My sister is 12 years older (brother 10 years older) and we get on really well. She was a fantastic big sister when I was younger, really missed her when she went to university but in later life the gap became less. I get on well with my brother and he was great when I was little but has a different life path to us now.

Not me but partner has a sibling 8.5 years younger and they've always had a lovely relationship both as kids and adults!

I've got a fairly large age gap between mine and the positives are that there was never any jealousy, they've always adored each other and sometimes my eldest has been like an extra (but cooler!) parent who could make headway on things that we just couldn't. The downsides were that they never really played together and at times on holidays/days out, it was hard to find things that worked for both of them. We actually end up doing quite a few individual activities with them to make sure both are catered for. Again less of an issue now the oldest is off doing his own thing a lot of time. I imagine there are pluses and minuses to both small and large gaps and a lot comes down to personality too. The age gap wasn't our choice, but you go forward from where you are.

Not my experience but funnily enough was chatting to some people I know about 9-year age gaps yesterday as both had that gap between them and their siblings (1 as an older sibling and the other as a younger one). From the perspective of the person 9 years younger than his siblings, he said he loved having older siblings as they helped out with looking after him as a kid and developed a close relationship as a result of that. For the person who had siblings 9 years younger than her, she felt protective over her siblings and spoke with a lot of affection for them.