Aren't Families Odd!

[Smowball]

After a strange birthday yesterday (with lots of nice parts too!) we ended up talking late lastnight about families, kids etc. About how true the old adage is - you can choose your friends but you can't choose your family- and it's true! You can raise children and love them unconditionally, but doesn't mean that they are very nice people. I don't mean mine personally - I'm talking generally. My MIL was saying that she loves her youngest son but she doesn't like him often, as he is so so selfish. Do we all have family members like this, or do any of you really have the wonderful big loving families we see portrayed on tv?

[ummmm]

I like my family. They rarely fall out but when they do it never lasts long and they don't hold grudges.

My nephew can be a bit of a prat at times though.

[Sqad]

Oooooh! don't let ummmm know that some parents don't like their children............

[Mamyalynne]

Families are a group of people thrown together by accident of birth - you can't compare one to another.

[ummmm]

I don't think there's anything wrong with not liking your children if they give you reason. It's the way you used to say it, Sqad, that made cringe. But you don't bother with the ones you do like so...

[naomi24]

Families aren't always filled with nice loving people. Horrible people belong to families too.

[Smowball]

It's all true- I have 4 kids , two of whom have an absolutely foul temper and attitude. And two who don't lol. But I love them all. I just wouldn't want to be stranded on a desert island with a couple of them!

[NoMercy]

My grandfather never had any time for his 3 daughters and made no secret of the fact that he always wanted a son. My aunt treated her children appallingly, now one is dead and the other doesn't want anything to do with her, yet she acts like she was the world's best mother.

I wouldn't describe my family as close but my husband's family are incredibly close and one of his parents will ring him most days just to chat and ask what we're up to. They only live in the next street, which is nice and I have a lovely relationship with them myself.

[Arksided]

I don't have children so no immediate family to speak of, but as weird as the rest are we mostly get along and the love element doesn't need mentioning.

They're all fluffing oddbods though except for me.

[Smowball]

My mum struggled to show any emotion, and to this day I don't know why, but I'm the exact opposite - I'm probably too much of a hugger lol. But my she died aged just 59, and my dad lives abroad, so I'm incredibly close to my in laws.

[ummmm]

I get on well with my in laws. Luckily as my kids hang round with their grand kids (who live with them)

[Islay]

Well you all know what my MIL thinks of me!
My mother didn't like me either but my father adores me and that is all that matters!

[wolf63]

My mum said that you should love your family (mainly children) but you don't have to like them.

I only have my brother and his family left and I love them all. Not sure about actually liking my sibling though.

[Smowball]

Islay do you know why your mum was like that?

[Islay]

Yes she had us very young and i was the second youngest, she was jealous of the relationship I had with my father and grandfather and when drunk would say the most awful accusations about me and them!
My Grandmother used to say it was because as I grew up she grew older and that was my mothers greatest fear getting old!
When she died and the priest said her age - I whispered to my husband 'oh god they got her age wrong' it was then I was informed by my sister that she had lied about her age since we were all born!!

[Barsel]

I think it's odd that children can be born into a family and have the same Mother and Father and yet turn out to be totally different in looks and mannerisms. My 3 girls fit this description and although I love them all, I have a different relationship with all 3 and they all treat me differently too.

[mazie]

I am incredibly lucky. Had a Mum who loved us all (my Dad ran off with her friend 50 years ago) I have an amazing younger sister (15 years younger) and a great Brother. I love my kids so much and they return that. My nieces and nephews are all great kids. My other half's family all dislike ( hate may be a better word)each other.

[woofgang]

We are not geographically close in my family and I don't see most of them very often but I would call us the modern kind of close and loving family. We communicate a lot by social media and text, I know what everyone is doing, how the kids are getting on at school and so on.

[nailit]

Ive only got the one son (that I know of...) and he's a right royal pain in the arris. He can be the most ungrateful self centered person on earth at times but you never stop loving your kids.
As for the rest of my family, I'm only close to my mum and one of my sisters. Ive totally cut off my other sister and her kids after years of running around after them only to have them all bad mouth me behind my back.

[Islay]

I have 4 siblings that I no longer talk to as well, but that is because I loaned them all money and not one of them offered to pay it back!
So stuff them!

[nailit]

//So stuff them!//
My sentiments exactly Islay.