We all get along but I'm my mother's golden boy! Never could do any wrong.:D

I have four older sisters, the nearest (and oldest) is 400 miles away. My wife was best friends with her before we met, she has been my favorite. I had a seven year business relationship with the youngest and her husband that could have ended better, I still have a bit of resentment from it.The middle two and I get along fine.
We're not a chatty bunch but communicate when somethings up. Our parents passed away within a few years of each other we had none of the fighting that often goes with setteling an estate. We've been doing anual runions the last couple of years, my turn is coming, we may book rooms at Branson for everyone.
Jim

After reading this, I've come to the conclusion that there probably is no such thing as a "normal happy family", at least ouside of the "Brady Bunch".

All families are dysfunctional to some degree. I'm pretty convinced of this. One of the reasons I probably don't have kids - I don't need chaos/drama/disorder in my house. I like it how it is.

In fact, I never really thought about this, but when I stop to think about what the "normal" family dynamic is and what it probably was for most of us, it's a wonder more of us don't run off and become monks or something. . .

But what about fallout in the personal relationship if there's feelings of resentment towards one of the partners, perhaps because, perceived or real, they weren't pulling their weight? That's what concerns me.

I work hard at making my company run as well as possible, but what if I took on a family member or friend who didn't work hard, or couldn't buy into my vision?

Forgot to mention - my little sis is on her way to Rome by way of Galway with her Irish husband for 2 weeks.
My other sister and my brother and I gave her the all expenses trip as a 40th B=Day present.

I have two older sisters.

The oldest is five years my senior, almost too much of an age gap to have ever become "close". No issues, just that we were in fairly separate orbits due to the age difference. We aren't "close" in the classic sense, but we don't fight at all. She was/is almost more like an Aunt to me.

The other sister and I are only 15 months apart and are very close, have been all our lives. Like most kids we had our ups and downs, but we always knew that we'd prefer to remain friends.

great thread... as the Holidays are approaching I'm sure many of us are thinking (preparing) for being with family. I have a brother and sister, and no we don't really get along. What screwed us up were our parents (not to blame them) but they divorced when we were young and they fought like freakin' morons. Divorce sucks... All the games, fights, competition, lies, hell - nobody got along. My Dad remarried a few times. My mother recently passed about 3 years ago, and it made things worse. We did have our fun times, but they were rare. I'm just glad that I have a beautiful wife and child and we are just getting started with life. Now I'm my parents age when they got divorced in the early 80's, and I can't imagine going through that again -holy crap... what an absolute waste.

no i don't get along with all my siblings , simply because about half of the bunch i have never met...

That was our problem. Bro-in-law worked reasonably hard until he was made a partner. Then he started delegating all of his responsibilities, or just not doing them. Finally he was showing up at 11, reading email, cruising porn sites, and leaving.

Don't do it unless there is an agreed upon exit plan. In our case the lawyers collected 100k+, we settled (in my favor), but there are no winners when the legal system is set in motion.

The sad part is when I used to call his house at 9 or 10 looking for him, sis used to say he left at 7AM for work. Of course she took his side.... I used to treat his kids like my own, now they won't speak to us.

However, my brother & I have been partners for the last 24 years, no problems. We split up our responsibilities, and trust each other to get it done.

I've got a younger brother and sister. Sister lives nearby and actually has lived with me a few times. It's never gone well when she lives with us but it's never really driven a wedge between us. My wife on the other hand doesn't handle it as well. I only expect she pay the rent but it's like lending money to friends or family...don't lend it if you expect you'll get it back.

She can be somewhat flaky here and there and it is quite irritating but I usually forgive pretty easily. I take her flakiness into consideration before I ask for anything.

The most recent thing was her radiator - it totally went out and she was going to have to spend hundreds to have it replaced at a local shop. I told her to buy the radiator and I would do the replacement. This week we have a very important thing to go to and we needed a sitter, I had to twist her arm a little to get her to do it.

Next time she needs help with her car...

Little bro and I have had our moments but for the most part we get along well.

One sister, great friend, she filled in as best man at my wedding. Going home for her gallery opening, afterwards I will assist her soon to be ex, down the stairs.
My grandmother would not speak to her sister..went on till they died, crazy part is they lived next door to each other. Small town,one on the bus..the other would wait.
Rika

I am the oldest of 3 boys.

My family is Bizarre, after 41 years on this Earth I have given up trying to figure them out and this happened about 3 weeks ago.

When I took a position 140 miles South of where my parents lived, (I was married 6 years at this point and lived in town with them) it was perceived as an insult and they did not have contact with me but twice in 18 months and that was about an hour each time.

Games are played to this day and 3 weeks ago did it in for me, I am done trying to figure them out and just live my life like they do not exist, BTW this includes my siblings.

My wife, kids and I have been purposefully left out of family functions over the years, it used to eat a hole in me (it probably still does) but as of 3 weeks ago I decided I do not need them in my life and I can be happy concentrating on my wife and kids and other relationships within my wifes family and casual friends.

I have been more than generous with my family, inviting my parents to join my family on our yearly spring vacation, we took my parents to a timeshare in Palm Springs for a week. My brother has been to the timeshare in Atlantis and all of them have been invited to and attended visiting my vacation home in NC, this also includes getting together at each others homes etc...

Yet, 3 weeks ago, they plan a boating outing and not tell us about it, my brother lives in town and knows I belong to a boat club its all a secret. I run into my parents in town (they live 70 miles away) and my parents are stumbling over words trying to make an excuse as to why they are in town and why they never called us to tell us they were here. Why they would not invite me to tag along on the boat outing was very insulting to me and the lies that followed insulted me further.

This has happened countless times, other events occurred with my family and I have been left out.

3 weeks ago I just threw in the towel, I give up, obviously I do not fit in with them and I have decided to move on and write them off.

If I bring it up, a pack a lies are spewed, "we were going to call you, insert lame excuse here."

I have done very well for myself over the last 10 years and even as times have gotten tough for me its not bad, I still own a timeshare outright, I have a vacation home, I have toys, I am cutting back on "stuff" (read toys) and throttling back.

The only thing I can think of is that they are envious of the success I have had over the last 10 years. But then again why? They are family and should be proud, I would be the same for them.

I have invested thousands into my brother and his upstart business ideas, when left to him to make a go of it, they fail. I have lost in excess of 10K to these deals. I never have asked for a penny back.

This is why I am perplexed as to why I am left out, I would have given my shirt off my back for any of them. Until 3 weeks ago.

That is bizarre.
Sorry to hear it Jim.
Could it be your business brother has been poisoning the waters ?

I am very fortunate. I get along great with both of my sisters.

I also have a bunch of cousins in the mid-west, and every so often there is a big family get together that is always well attended, and it is as if we are all best friends all over again.

Pretty amazing to have this big of an extended family, and while there are so many personalities, there are no mis-fits. Everybody is welcomed, and enjoyed by all.

Hmmmmm......... Maybe I'm the mis-fit, and nobody has ever told me.......