Is blood thicker than water

Just musing over this generally, what do you all think? I mean generally, not on my dysfunctional mob.

In my case, it's my twin brother. We have nothing in common. He doesn't talk to me, hasn't done for years except to write abusive letters, usually timed to arrive on my birthday. He moved house a few months back and hasn't told me the address. Good bloody riddance. He told SIL on her birthday that he wanted a divorce. Nice. So we get SIL on the phone in floods of tears. And then my mother chimes in, also in tears, and it all escalates cos he's upset her too and she's torn apart over the grandchildren.

Quezzie is, do families ever stop being a pain in the ****? Do they ever really go away and stop trying to tell you how to run your life, what to do and how to do it, poking noses in where they're not wanted? And can you ever really not get involved?

Originally Posted by Ed

Quezzie is, do families ever stop being a pain in the ****? Do they ever really go away and stop trying to tell you how to run your life, what to do and how to do it, poking noses in where they're not wanted? And can you ever really not get involved?

Nope. Which is why I choose to distance myself as far as reasonably possible. After nearly 40 years, they're finally getting the message....

(BTW, you have a twin you're not gemini are you - good twin/evil twin?)

My Brother and I didnt speak for 10 years after my father died as he didnt get on with my step mother (mother died when I was 6) And after 2 tour of Northern Ireland in the Army he was a bit wierd for a while. He divorced his wife and went out of our lives completely after being a right pain in the harris for a few years. Two years ago he got in contact again after he remarried and his wife said he should really contact what family he had left (Me) and has been great ever since.
I think we've both mellowed a bit as we approach 50

In my case water is only thicker than blood in the case of my wife, if family start upsetting her then they'd better watch out, otherwise family come first.

They are still a right royal pain in the ar$e but they are family and I've had them more than 28 days, so I can't take them back for a refund.

I just limit the amount of time I spend with them ie: No Mum we can't manage to come and stay for a week, ('cos you'll get the whole clan to invade us day after day), but we can come for the weekend.

[21QUEST]

Ed, definitely......


Ben

[timwilky]

Ed, families are the worse thing ever.

I haven't talked to my mother for a few years now after she sent me an abusive letter about my wife and kids, we talk weekly to her twin sister who despairs about her own sister attitude. I have a younger brother who I have not talked to for over 25 years. Last time I talked to him was a week before he came out of prison and to lay down ground rules as to how he would behave to both me and my parents.

There are times when family just are not worth the aggravation they cause.

Talking from someone who has not got a lot of family left you should put up with them cos they are the only ones you have. I talk to my sister at least 3/4 times a week and see her at least once a week and my brother i know will always be there for me no matter what i do X
Thinkin of movin out of the area and the only thing stopping me is my brother and sister and they will probablybe the deciding factor over all other consideration !!

I think my family is ok, but I'm not sure now I've written this!

Me and my little sister never got along, and things got a lot worse over the past 2 years. She had some bad problems, Mum had some bad problems, but my sister shifted blame for everything on to my mum.. Needless to say over the past couple of years harsh words have been exchanged, my mums been through enough for one lifetime already. Now my sister lives with another sister 40 minutes away.. suits her, suits me, breaks mum's heart. We don't have anything to say to each other, but at the end of the day she's still my little sister and if she needs me I'll be there for her.

Family is family, some things you can't change. That's why I choose my friends carefully

[Lissa]

Oh blimey. Families.

My father was a nasty, abusive, violent piece of work. I don't miss him at all.

My sister ran off and deserted her two young girls for a drug addict 12 years younger then her. I haven't heard a word from her for 7 years.

My mother is materialistic and obsessed with money. To her, it's not who you are that's important, but what you've got. We speak, very rarely, but she's never interested in my life, just bragging about having the Bishop round for supper etc.

My brother was the best of the bunch. He wasn't just my brother but my best mate. I miss him.

Blood thicker than water? No way.

Being a pain in the backside is what families is for and there's nowt you can do about it - It's a relationship you can't walk away from without causing a lot of pain.

What can I say? Put up and shut up? If you can do that it's better than dragging up old arguments forever.

I had a terrible time with my mother until she died - lots of things happened that still cause pain and if she was still alive I doubt if I'd have much to do with her. As it stands, I've forgiven her and moved on.

Me dad is golden, only ever upset me once in my life when I went away for a weekend with his promise to look after my dog. I came back to pee and poo behind the back door