sibling problems in The AnswerBank: Body & Soul

We all get along now that we are adults, but growing up...god it was like Beirut iin our house!! Saying that my two fight like cat and dog so I reckon it's an age thing...

scoobydooby

My sister is 7 years older than me and lives a 90 minute drive away. She mothered me a little when we were younger as we just lived with our Dad. We don't see each other that often but she'll be the first phone call I make if I need a good cry.

My two teenage daughters (two years apart) are chalk and cheese but they stick together when one of them is hurt or upset - even gang up on me if I'm cross with one! (secretly, I quite like that - nice to know they'll be there for each other if anything were to happen to me).

funnygirl

I am not very happy with my brother at the mo.
We grew up ok with the odd fight thrown in.
But it is the last 3 years, that my brother has shown his true self.
My mum died of cancer and my Dad is on his own. You can count on one hand how many times my brother has visited or called his Dad.
My dad came to me on xmas day and was going to my brother's on Boxing Day, Apparently, my brother phoned him up on Boxing morning and cancelled it, no reason given. My dad is 82 and had no food readily available and did not want to impose on me as I had a house full.

My mum had weekly hospital appointments whilst she was ill, always on a monday and it was always me that went with her and my dad. Once I started a new job and could not make that monday. I phoned my brother 2 weeks prior, 1 week prior and the sunday before. Do you think my brother turned up??!!

So for these reasons and many more, I will not speak to my brother.

badum-tisch

I still live with one - both in our early 20's. The other is a couple of years older and lives with her boyfriend, but only a 15-20 min drive away, and see her once or twice a week usually. We are all very different, but generally get on well. That probably comes from my mum having a mini-breakdown if we ever argued when we were younger!! I get on with each one of them abit better than they both get on with each other.

Scarlett

Through childhood my sisters were my best friends. Now, my younger sister is still my best friend. My older sister and I barely speak. This is from when she spent 16 years with an abusive man, who hated me (jealous of our relationship) and as a result, my sister decided to hate me too, as she was not strong enough to stand up to him.

weeal

I miss my wee brother who is in the army, over in Germany, we are so alike.
My younger sister however has fallen out with everyone and caused terrible trouble in the family, as has my older sister.
Until recently I was the only one who spoke to everyone but it has all fallen apart. Its just mum and I now.
Sad

wiggal

Im the baby of the family (20), and I get on great with both my sister (27) and brother (31)
My sister & her wife life 150 miles away which I hate as dont see them anywhere near enough, but that will change when I pass my driving test! And my brother lives 30 mins away but I see him less then I do my sister!

Lil O'lady

This may sound hard and is probably not the norm.....I now completely disregard my 4 siblings (we range from 50 to 60). I toed the line till our mother died but frankly during my life they have been unspeakably foul to me and have chosen life partners to suit.
It would have hurt our mother who was very ill for many years to have gone my own way but having done so now, I feel happy and free as air.
You choose your friends.

theonlyone

I have 4 brothers and a sister . Haven't spoken to my eldest bro for years as I don't like him . My sister drives pass my door and never bothers to come in .The only bro who bothers is the youngest one , the other 2 are just do there own thing . True what L'oLady says , you are stuck with them . Really sad but true .

billbobaggin

youngest of 4 plus a half brother 15 years younger than me. I have nothing to do with any of them only my nearest sister. My parents and other siblimgs are nasty racist selfish b*******ds. when my son was born 6 years ago i decided they no longer were welcome in my life and not for one minute have I regretted my decision.

Stasi

Im the 2nd of six kids 4 boys 2 girls and although we obviously fight we always stick together and generally get on well.

theonlyone

billbo I hate racists , so what ever your family have done they are the losers , as they have lost you and the family that you have now . Happy New Year xx

EngTeach

Cheeky-How funny you should ask this today. Right now I am furious w/ my youner brother. Our mom passed away in September. All last winter when he was laid off he never visited. i don't think from Christmas until Mother's Day (May) he ever drove up. He lives 2 1/2 hours away. Like funnygirl I too was the one who did all the running and shuffling of work schedule to accomadate the chemo/ shots and doctor appts. He has been bugging the sh** out of me about the insurance money and keeps asking if I have been in touch with the attorney. I am executrix of the estate, and today asked me to give the lawyer permission to deal with him. Mind you when I was struggling to pay for home care for mom and asked him for help, he told me to sell my house to pay for it. He does not own one and is in a hurry for the insurance for a down payment. I don't know how much he thinks there is going to be once we split it 3 ways. I was not going to take the 5% fee for being executrix, but have decided to take it.

My sis and I have an uneasy peace (we live in same house) that blows up here and there and in general the 3 of us get on OK, but my brother has royally pi$$ed me off today.

hippyhoppy

The Christmas Spirit is really amongst us, isn't it!?!?!?

saxy_jag

My sis is almost eight years my senior and we've never really been close. I consider her a man-eating snob (got through two husbands, currently wheedling her way into the affections of a 'farmer' - he owns a bit of land and deals in scrap metal - and thinks she's lady duckmuck because she gets to go to game fairs at stately homes) and she thinks I'm an airhead (I'm 48 going on 16 and refuse to grow up and act sensibly. Why should I?).

I have a cousin in the US, two years my senior. We've grown up apart but are very close nonetheless, and I consider him more of a sibling than I do my sister.

helliebobs

There is a 3 year age gap between me (27) and my brother(30) and we've never been close although we fight slightly less than we did when we were kids. We aren't alike except looks wise and we have nothing in common - differents tastes in everything. He was never the big brother who would stick up for me at school and I was a constant embarrassment to him. He still knows exactly how to wind me up and I never fail to react to it. I'm living at my parents with my son at the moment and he has just split up from his wife so he is back here too and he's already driving me mental. I move out next week though, which can't come soon enough :)

helliebobs

There is a 3 year age gap between me (27) and my brother(30) and we've never been close although we fight slightly less than we did when we were kids. We aren't alike except looks wise and we have nothing in common - differents tastes in everything. He was never the big brother who would stick up for me at school and I was a constant embarrassment to him. He still knows exactly how to wind me up and I never fail to react to it. I'm living at my parents with my son at the moment and he has just split up from his wife so he is back here too and he's already driving me mental. I move out next week though, which can't come soon enough :) I wish we were closer though.

helliebobs

Made a right **** up of that :)

Ice.Maiden

I see my family often, and I can honestly say that we never fight over issues. When we were young, we weren't "allowed" to argue until it got out of hand. My mother would separate us if this looked like happening. I don't know if that was a good or a bad thing, but although we all have our own ideas, to this day we all listen to each other, rather than argue a point.

gelda

My twin brother and younger sister are my best friends as well as being siblings and always will be, I always feel sad when I read about families not getting on, I'm very lucky!

sibling problems

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