https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 08 Apr 2026 00:50:08 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-your-adult-sibling-relationship-like/page/2#post-2876387 Wed, 13 Mar 2019 16:41:32 +0000 Mrsbells 2876387@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@cat620: I think most people I know personally are close with their siblings. Having said that, family relationships can be complicated and so many factors can play a role in it so there really is no typical adult sibling relationship. I am much closer to one of my siblings than I am to the other and I definitely did have friends that I see ans hang out with more than my siblings. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-your-adult-sibling-relationship-like/page/2#post-2876024 Mon, 11 Mar 2019 21:41:01 +0000 LadyDi 2876024@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Adira: That's so sweet! My two youngest will be 16 months apart...I hope they end up being friends like that! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-your-adult-sibling-relationship-like/page/2#post-2875937 Mon, 11 Mar 2019 12:35:52 +0000 Adira 2875937@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My brother is 16 months older and we're VERY close. We hang out every other weekend to play board games together and just hang out. And when we're not seeing each other, we're e-mailing each other about games, shows we watch, books, family drama, etc (he's not into texting or otherwise we'd do that instead of email). We're basically best friends.</p> <p>When we were little, we were very close, but then as we got older, we grew apart as he was part of the "popular" crowd in high school and I wasn't. He'd pretend he didn't know me when we saw each other in school, haha. But then we both went to college, matured, and I think we both realized that we both were into the same things and we just have so much fun together!</p> <p>I'm really hoping my boys will enjoy a close relationship with each other like I enjoy with my brother. &lt;3 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-your-adult-sibling-relationship-like/page/2#post-2875896 Mon, 11 Mar 2019 10:08:46 +0000 Alba4 2875896@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have a brother who is 2.5 years older. We have a supportive and positive relationship in general, but we’ve grown a little apart in the last couple of years. Growing up we were always close and in our 20s we lived a few blocks away from one another in NYC. We hung out and saw each other all the time. </p> <p>Now that we are both married with kids, it’s just hard to connect as much. He’s still in the city while I’m in the burbs, and with traffic it can take close to 2 hours in the car. He is terrible at texting me back and calling me. Despite that, we still see each other every month or so. I guess that is pretty good?! Lol I wish it was more frequent though.</p> <p>I really like my SIL. She’s 6 years younger and in the city (newly married no kids). We text and FaceTime often. My husband is close to her too, although we sometimes feel like there is a generational gap between us (she’s very much a millennial, and we are that strange gap between millennial and gen x) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-your-adult-sibling-relationship-like/page/2#post-2875884 Mon, 11 Mar 2019 07:51:01 +0000 SweetiePie 2875884@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I voted twice.<br /> Very close with my sister. She’s 20 months younger than me. In fact on Saturday she was like “hello are you alive?” Because it had been 24 hours since she heard from me. Haha. So we talk a lot. She lives a long drive/flight away so we also try to get together without kids once a year or so. Usually with my mom too. </p> <p>My relationship with my younger brother (5 years) is mediocre. We are very different and disagree about a lot. I love him and mostly we get along but we don’t go out of our way to talk to see each other. He rarely texts or responds to me when I do. It’s not a priority to see me when I’m home. So I’ve sort of started following suit.<br /> To be fair he’s a 33 year old single guy so there’s probably a lot about my life he just doesn’t relate to or find interesting. Maybe if/when he has a family he’ll change his attitude. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-your-adult-sibling-relationship-like/page/2#post-2875874 Sun, 10 Mar 2019 22:58:53 +0000 crazydoglady 2875874@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am one of four. My older brother and I have never gotten along, but now that we have gotten older, I would call it mediocre at best. He's just never had a whole lot of motivation for...well...anything and that drives me nuts. He also still lives with my parents so... I just realized I dont even have his phone number.<br /> My sister and I are really really close. We butted heads as kids, but we get along really well now and talk ALL the time. We go on girls trips together, are constantly texting....I seriously dont know what I would do without her.<br /> My younger brother and I were really close as kids and have always gotten. along well (he can make me laugh like almost no one,) but he is in a different place in life than me (single and lives in the city.) We dont text (often) and we never talk on the phone, but we always have fun when he is in town. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-your-adult-sibling-relationship-like/page/2#post-2875858 Sun, 10 Mar 2019 18:33:08 +0000 Silva 2875858@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My brother is 2.5 years younger than me, and lives an hour away. We see each other at every holiday, including every family birthday- so it probably comes out to once every month-6 weeks or so. We occasionally text- funny stuff, cute kid pictures.<br /> I have always wished we were closer, but he's kind of a socially awkward guy and so is his wife- they are homebodies and not great at relationships, to be honest. I try not to take it personally. If I needed something they'd help in a heartbeat, and the same is true for us.<br /> I'm super close with my parents. I text with my mom and dad every day, facetime at least once a week, and rarely go longer than 3 weeks without seeing them in person (they live an hour away).</p> <p>My husband has a sister 2 years younger than him and a sister about 5 years younger than him. He actively dislikes the middle sister and tries to avoid spending time with her (no real blowout, he just doesn't like her). He likes the youngest sister, but they rarely talk and rarely see each other (we see her maybe once a year- she lives 8 hours away). He also doesn't really enjoy spending time with his parents. The whole family dynamic is kind of a mess. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-your-adult-sibling-relationship-like/page/2#post-2875714 Sat, 09 Mar 2019 03:30:27 +0000 SugarplumsMom 2875714@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My brother and I are 8 yrs apart - the age gap is just too great for us and we weren't so close to begin with. We also haven't lived in the same country in over 10 yrs, which hasn't helped all. Our relationship is now bordering on non-existent. We message each other on birthdays and sometimes see each other on Christmas if we're both "home" to visit. But other than that, I don't really know, know him anymore. I am sad about it. I've always thought of him more like a child than a sibling, but our interaction is so limited. If we lived in the same country, I know we'd be closer, but that's just not possible. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-your-adult-sibling-relationship-like/page/2#post-2875613 Fri, 08 Mar 2019 14:32:56 +0000 Rocker2014 2875613@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn't vote bc I don't know that "mediocre" captures it. I have one brother, 4 years younger and we have a very minimal relationship. We've never been close and still aren't. We get along fine now, though there was a lot of conflict growing up. Despite having a lot in common "on paper", we just...never connected. He's a very social person but doesn't really have any close friends and avoids romantic relationships. He says he doesn't really see the point. Our relationship is the same - fine, but not close. We see each other rarely, but live on opposite sides of the country so that factors in. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-your-adult-sibling-relationship-like#post-2875610 Fri, 08 Mar 2019 14:31:36 +0000 codeitall 2875610@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Wow, I always thought we weren't super close, but reading these responses makes me think that we are!</p> <p>I have 5 siblings. 3 live close, a couple are several states away. We have a slack group where we keep each other updated and chat. I invite my close family members over 2-3 times a month to hangout, play with my kids and eat food.</p> <p>For us, our relationships don't need a lot of maintenance. We're all introverts and aren't super prone to initiating conversation. But when we do have conversations, they're about personal details in our lives or struggles we're having, or ways we can help other family members.</p> <p>That said, my brother did come to town for a friends' wedding, crashed on a friend's house and went home without seeing us. I absolutely wasn't offended. For us, family isn't an obligation, it is more of a reliable fall-back. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-your-adult-sibling-relationship-like#post-2875521 Fri, 08 Mar 2019 10:43:04 +0000 psw27 2875521@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I love my brother dearly but he doesn't care about me at all. There is no hostility, he just doesn't put in any effort. He hasn't met my kids. We text some. I haven't seen him in over 4 years. He doesn't come to Christmas and we don't do Thanksgiving together. I really try, but I don't think we would ever be close. I used to cry about it but I'm too run down with everything else in my life to worry about it daily. </p> <p>@pachamama: I'm surprised but it sort of makes me feel better about my own sibling relationship! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-your-adult-sibling-relationship-like#post-2875511 Fri, 08 Mar 2019 10:32:28 +0000 Ajsmommy 2875511@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@pachamama: I agree... however I know at least for me I think it's got a lot to do with distance. I feel like if my brother were in my town that I would stop and see him regularly and he'd come to my house regularly... but maybe I am wrong..... it does make me sad. My brother and I used to have such good times together!!! And I also feel like I'd be a good influence on him. But alas we are states apart. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-your-adult-sibling-relationship-like#post-2875472 Fri, 08 Mar 2019 09:26:25 +0000 Littlebit7 2875472@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@pachamama: I know, me too. But it is somewhat comforting to see too. Sometimes I feel like a failure for not fostering the “my sister is my bestie we do everything together” relationship. I tried. We were/are different. But it’s nice to know I’m not alone. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-your-adult-sibling-relationship-like#post-2875465 Fri, 08 Mar 2019 09:15:30 +0000 youboots 2875465@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My sister is 4.5 years older and one of my closest friends. We were not always close but I think that started to change slowly and now sometimes we talk every day- sometimes less often. It’s pretty great. We live on opposite coasts. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-your-adult-sibling-relationship-like#post-2875462 Fri, 08 Mar 2019 09:10:56 +0000 skinnycow 2875462@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I voted for the top two. I have a sister (two years younger) and a brother (four years younger). I have positive relationships with both siblings but I'm much closer with my sister. We text daily and she lives about ten minutes away so we see each other often. My relationship with her is what makes me so excited to be having a second girl. I love that my daughter will have a sister and I hope they will be close (although I know I can't guarantee that). My relationship with my brother is fine - we're not especially close but it's a positive relationship and we get along well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-your-adult-sibling-relationship-like#post-2875457 Fri, 08 Mar 2019 08:59:31 +0000 pachamama 2875457@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm actually surprised and saddened to see how many of us are not close at all and barely communicate with our siblings. To me that seems so abnormal for a family dynamic but gosh it almost seems the norm? 😭😭 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-your-adult-sibling-relationship-like#post-2875454 Fri, 08 Mar 2019 08:44:10 +0000 Anagram 2875454@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I feel like my siblings relationships are kind of odd. I'm one of 6 kids and although our parents are the same, we are realllllly far apart in age. My oldest brother is 21 years older than my younger sister. I'm number 5.</p> <p>So I'm not all that close to the oldest 2, just because they are so much older than me and I was probably 5 and 7 when they each moved out of the house (and one immediately moved cross country, so we never even lived in the same state for the rest of my growing up years). I consider them more like young aunts/uncles that I see 1x every other year. We have almost nothing in common in terms of lifestyle, religion, political affiliation. And I would never just like, pick up the phone to gab with either of them.</p> <p>I'm closer to the last 4, but we are really scattered around the US (I'm in NYC area, one sister is in GA, brother in Dallas but has a job where he travels constantly, and 1 sister in LA), so we just don't see each other much. Plus my younger sister struggles with severe mental illness, so I would never talk to her about my 1st world type of problems. We have like, a family text thread that we revive about every other week to talk about stuff. And my 2nd oldest sister and younger sister are people I will text random pics of my kids to, because they are more involved. Anyway, so we are not super close, but definitely more close than I am with my oldest sibs.</p> <p>TLDR: Not close at all with 2 sibs. Close, but kind of hands-off with my other sibs because of geographical distance. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-your-adult-sibling-relationship-like#post-2875436 Thu, 07 Mar 2019 22:07:17 +0000 Littlebit7 2875436@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>my relationship with my sister is really bad. It is as though she is no longer a member of our family.i had written more but I can’t bear to leave it forever on the internet. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-your-adult-sibling-relationship-like#post-2875432 Thu, 07 Mar 2019 21:30:38 +0000 periwinklebee 2875432@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our relationship is cordial, but for various reasons I don't think it could ever be close. My sibling is very rigid/socially conservative - it goes along with the environment we were surrounded by growing up - and ultimately I just feel so judged. The world view is very anti-science, very believe this because so-and-so authority figure says, I know the way and others don't.... and is just such a value clash with the principles I hold most dear. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-your-adult-sibling-relationship-like#post-2875430 Thu, 07 Mar 2019 21:02:28 +0000 annem1990 2875430@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My brother, sister and I are very close. We see each other at least once a week, but also live like 5mins apart so it’s easy. We also use Snapchat a lot of the day in which we all communicate (my DH and parents too). We’re always each other’s first call when there’s an issue (car jump, last minute childcare, come over for dinner). I think our situation is pretty rare and I feel very lucky we all get along and enjoy being together. </p> <p>DH on the other hand has a good relationship with one brother, but not awesome with the other. It’s not hostile by any means, but they put forth no effort to see us or catch up. DH is always the one to initiate. His wife really dislikes their parents, but I don’t think anyone could dislike DH or his brother so I don’t really understand the quiet. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-your-adult-sibling-relationship-like#post-2875426 Thu, 07 Mar 2019 20:10:25 +0000 karenbme 2875426@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have 3 siblings—one full, one step, and one half—and I’m really close with one, situationally close with one, and no relationship with the third. </p> <p>The sibling that I ended the relationship with is 2 years older, and it just wasn’t healthy. I kept putting in effort and feeling like I was the only one. It was kind of similar to the relationship you’re describing. For example, when I was living in Chicago she came out from NY to visit a friend and didn’t even tell me she was going to be around until she was already in town. She did some really terrible things around my wedding, possibly because she was upset her younger sister was getting married first. I told her we could go to therapy or I was out. She wasn’t open to therapy—literally told me she didn’t see a problem with our relationship so it was on me to fix any issues I had. But she’s also the person who responded, “well I thought you didn’t want kids anyways,” when she found out about my miscarriage at Thanksgiving year before last as it was happening.</p> <p>I’m very close with my half sister, but we didn’t really grow up together. She’s 13 years younger, and we didn’t really bond until she was a teenager, but now that she’s in her 20s we text every day.</p> <p>My step brother is the one I’m situationally close with. He’s 6 years younger, and we don’t really talk on the phone or text much, but we’re great friends/drinking buddies when we’re both in the same place.</p> <p>It all goes to show that you never know with family. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-your-adult-sibling-relationship-like#post-2875415 Thu, 07 Mar 2019 19:24:09 +0000 Kaohinani 2875415@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have an amazing relationship with my sister (after many years of her being passive-aggressive) and a sentimental but rarely communicative relationship with my brother after years of being uber-close. I am 10 years older than my sister and 13-3/4 older than my brother. Both were my "pseudo babies" and I was extremely protective of them (still am). I believe the divergence with my brother is due to his career (in movie production) and bc he is quite busy with his GF. The recent closeness with my sister is due to the success in her career (and the fact she doesn't have to follow my successes) and the fact I adore her fiance. It may also be that I readily accepted her when she came out as gay while other family members were a bit more hesitant to do so. In any case, I love my relationship with my sister but wish I were closer to my brother. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-your-adult-sibling-relationship-like#post-2875406 Thu, 07 Mar 2019 18:52:13 +0000 catgirl 2875406@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have typed and erased at least three times. But I'll say it's really complicated. I have two half sisters from my dad's second marriage but they are 10 and 13 years younger than I am. We get along, see each other roughly once a month, and text a few times a month. Nothing is weird when we are together but that's because we all pretend their mother doesn't hate me or that I wasn't around for the first 12ish years of their lives. So I don't know if we will ever be truly close.<br /> I also have four step siblings from my mom's second marriage, but she got married when I was 27 so I don't have a real relationship with them. We are friendly when we see each other and will occasionally comment on facebook/instagram posts but that is about it. </p> <p>DH has a brother that he loves and they would do anything for each other. But they aren't friends and they don't talk regularly. They just have nothing in common and DH doesn't agree with the majority of the life choices his brother has made. He also has two step siblings but he was 22 when his mom remarried. They are friendly and we have fun when we see them. But DH doesn't go out of his way to stay in touch or form a relationship. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-your-adult-sibling-relationship-like#post-2875405 Thu, 07 Mar 2019 18:47:41 +0000 lamariniere 2875405@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have a brother who is 2 years younger. We’ve always had what I consider to be a cordial relationship. We get along just fine but we’ve never been especially close. As kids/teens, we had separate friends and separate interests and never really did much together. My brother did follow me to the same university and we became a little closer then, but we still had very separate lives. As adults we maintain our cordial but not close relationship. I’ve always lived far away or overseas so we don’t see each other much but we do have nice email exchanges ever couple of weeks. I do feel badly that I’ve never met him his younger children, but we just haven’t made it back home in the last few years. We would probably be closer if we lived near one another because we have similar ways of thinking about things and similar personalities. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-your-adult-sibling-relationship-like#post-2875404 Thu, 07 Mar 2019 18:46:15 +0000 Sams Mom 2875404@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My older sister (2y5m older) and I fought like crazy until we were in our mid twenties 🤦🏼‍♀️ she knew how to push my buttons and enjoyed it. Now we're not super close, but text and Marco Polo regularly 🤷🏼‍♀️ </p> <p>My younger sister (23m younger) were on and off growing up, since she was the swing vote in a family of 3 kids. Now that we're older we're really close. She lives down the road from me, we see each other and talk/text daily. She's probably one of my closer friends. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-your-adult-sibling-relationship-like#post-2875403 Thu, 07 Mar 2019 18:42:21 +0000 Kemma 2875403@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have no relationship and I’ve only seen my brother twice since my oldest daughter was born in October 2012. I send a birthday card and gift voucher to his daughter each year but we otherwise don’t communicate at all. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-your-adult-sibling-relationship-like#post-2875392 Thu, 07 Mar 2019 17:59:59 +0000 Corduroy 2875392@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have one brother, a year and a half older, who lives 45 minutes away. We were hostile growing up and got closer in college. He started dating a woman that I really liked in college and eventually we alternated having kids. I was closer to my SIL than my brother. Last year they got divorced and SIL moved further away with the kids. At his best my brother is really hard to connect with. Newly single, lonely, and depressed has made it much harder. I want to connect with him more but all his free time is spent working or driving to see his kids (obviously the right choice). He agreed to go camping with us this summer and I'm hoping we can make some connection then. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-your-adult-sibling-relationship-like#post-2875387 Thu, 07 Mar 2019 17:25:35 +0000 mrsbookworm 2875387@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have one younger sister who I’m extremely close to emotionally though we don’t live near each other. We talk often and get our families together as much as we can. We just came back from an 8 day vacation together and it was so nice to spend so much uninterrupted toe with her and her family. DH has two sisters that he’s close to though he doesn’t talk to them that often. That’s just his personality though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-your-adult-sibling-relationship-like#post-2875382 Thu, 07 Mar 2019 17:13:57 +0000 petitenoisette 2875382@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I’m one of four and we all get along really well and love spending time together. One sibling lives far away but the other two are pretty local. My sister is one of my best friends but right now we don’t talk/text as we once did bc life and she’s in a different stage with a bit older kids. Even so, we see each other at least once a month and then a ton in the summer. </p> <p>I don’t really talk to any of my siblings on the phone but we FaceTime for birthdays and having running family text chains. </p> <p>Having grown up in a big family, my LOs have cousins so that means I am content stopping at two bc they will have other close family! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-your-adult-sibling-relationship-like#post-2875381 Thu, 07 Mar 2019 17:11:48 +0000 pachamama 2875381@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@cat620: my relationship with my older sister is one of the saddest points in my life. We have never gotten along ever and she bullied me my whole life. Maybe a few years in college we sort of had fun together. She is anorexic and I'm not sure if that has contributed to how much she hates her family but she lives across the country and wants nothing to do with us. It breaks my mom's heart.<br /> Luckily I got a second chance.. We adopted my younger sister when I was 7 and she is my best friend. So thank God I got one sister I can have a relationship with! </p>