Can I just check with everyone whether my experience is similar to others or not please?
I have two older sisters, one younger sister, and a brother.
My sisters and I are very close. We see each other regularly. We talk every few days or daily sometimes on the phone. We support one another, laugh with one another, are immediately there for one another in a crisis.
We are all very different people with busy, independent lives, we all have dhs and dc, and we have occasional spats but nothing that lasts and fundamentally we enjoy one another’s company.
Most of all though, we know about, and are interested in each other’s lives and know (almost) everything about each other’s children and have great relationships with our nephews and nieces, through all of the life stages; baptisms, birthdays, exams etc. We remember important dates etc and rely on each other for emotional support.
With my brother things are a little different. He does make the effort to visit which we appreciate and we do correspond occasionally by e-mail but not on the phone. He does not seem particularly interested in our dc but asks us to admire and support his, which of course we do.
I was quite close to him growing up and we were good friends. He can be quite a dominant personality with a lot of confidence (outwardly anyway) so not always easy to get on with but it’s the lack of emotional connection with him that is the most disappointing I suppose.
This makes me wonder whether this is just “a man thing” and pretty standard for brothers - and it is unrealistic to expect anything more - or is this more about individual personalities?
I’m conscious that I take my cue from him in our relationship so maybe I am at fault too? At the same time my sisters feel similarly so it can’t just be me I think?