How does your sibling relationship look like?

[bell1989]

I have two sisters and two brothers. We're close on the sense that when we get together we get along great. We don't see each other often or speak everyday as much as I would like to. But they are not like that.

I have one brother. We get on fine, no major falling out or anything, but we are not close. We text occasionally (a few times a year) and meet rarely (once a year or less). We do send cards and money to each other's DC for Christmas and birthdays.

I hope that all the people on Mumsnet who start threads about having a second child so they can have a friend for life read this!

I'm a very happy only child.

DH has a brother who he loathes that he hasn't spoken to for 20 years.

I always think I have the better deal!

That's my situation too. My mother triangulated us. Very sad.

I hope you're okay. I find it hard.

Sorry you are in the same situation as me.
I find it very hard too. It’s a pain people can only understand if they have lived through it. 💐

One of 4. Fab, we are part of WhatsApp group that message every few days, meet about 4 times a year for a meal out (we all live a couple of hours from each other with busy lives/kids) and we have each other’s backs. The odd disagreement but always over quickly. They’ve really enriched my life.

Same!
Even when my parents died, having seen DH’s siblings arguing like drunks over MIL’s funeral arrangements, I thought myself lucky I could suit myself! There’s always one of them having a fall out with someone.
DH often sighs and says “you’re so lucky there’s just you…”😂

I have two brothers and a sister. They all live close together but I'm 4 hours away. I see them about 3 times a year and we get on well at those times. Virtually no contact inbetween. They see eachother pretty regularly and their children are friends. My children are a lot younger. Mine are 6 and 8 whereas theirs are between 15 and 26.

Adore my sister. She’s my best friend. We text probably 20 times a day (a few times every hour). Our kids are close.

We had a difficult upbringing and had to stick together.

I’d walk through fire for her or her child, and she’d do the same for me and mine.

My sister is my world.

3 years older and I've looked up to her since I can remember. She is my rock, my pillar of strength. She gives me confidence like nothing else in the world. When I am with her I am complete.

It sometimes feels like we have our own language. Our humour is such that no one else in the world understand it. One look and she can make me lose my breath from laughing.

I think she's incredible and I would be truly lost without her.

Yes, Litlinawis thank you. I did a work behaviour assessment that identified me as a Teamworker through and through. I'm very family oriented but my parents are very troubled and just couldn't build family relationships so the family fell apart.

It's exquisitely painful and bewildering. I hope you find a way through 💐

It's lovely reading about the close family relationships on here - something to treasure.

I read an article not that long ago and this really reminded me of that -

https://uk.style.yahoo.com/jealous-him-being-close-sister-dumped-me-080006426.html

One half brother, three half sisters and one full sister. I’m NC with all. Our collective parents have damaged us so much that it’s impossible for us to get along. Lots of favouritism/golden children, and neglect to the others.

I had a fairly stable relationship with one of my half sisters, but she became so narcissistic that I just couldn’t deal with it any more. I’ve never got on with my full sister, as she was spoiled rotten, and I spent childhood growing up in her shadow. Since my mother never shuts up about her, I’m NC with her, too.

I have DC of my own, and pray that they never go through the same.

One of 4. Close as small children (I think), actively damaged each other’s lives as teenagers, not remotely close as adults. My parents are now ill and they are no support whatsoever, compared to my DH and my friends.

I have an only child, partly because of my experience with my own siblings. I find those “friend for life!” statements so naive. They might be, there’s an equally high chance they absolutely will not be.

Limited contact

I have two brothers and we get on brilliantly. We only see each other a few times a year because of distabce but we WhatsApp every day. We're genuinely so happy and excited when we see each other.

I speak to my sister every week.

Friendly but not super close. We live in different countries and are very different as people. When we get together we have a good time though. I think my mother is disappointed that we are not closer but really, you cannot predict what your children will be like.

One older brother (8 years older) see each other 2/3 times a year due to long distance and call on birthdays. We're like chalk and cheese so nothing in common but still care for each other and our family's and our wellbeing.

The only thing my older brother has ever done to enrich my life is give me 3 fabulous nephews.

My sister and I didn't really get on as children and teenagers, but we are extremely close now. We live in different countries but text multiple times a day and support each other with family stuff. We get together at least twice a year.

Very interesting thread, and it reflects my experience IRL that many people are not close to their siblings and that it is really luck of the draw whether you are or not.

One older brother who has been vile to me for many years. We’re only in contact about caring for my elderly mum. Other than that, I would have very happily gone NC with him years ago. I can’t wait to never have anything to do with him again

My sister is the light of my life.

I have a sister who is eight years older than me, I am 53. Our mother died when we were 18 and 10. Our father completely threw himself into working and building a business because he had to and as an escape from his grief. My sister essentially brought me up.

We are extremely close. I left home at 19 and have always lived far away from her, currently, we are 1500 miles apart, but we talk on the phone every other day for at least an hour. I talk to her 35-year-old daughter, my niece, who lives with her, on the other days for at least an hour. They are my best friends.

DSis lives in another Country but we text a handful of times a week and have a long phone call every fortnight. Probably see each other in Person twice a Year, FaceTime occasionally so my DCs and DNieces can catch up.