Unfortunately, my family (my brothers and sisters and parents) are not particularly close. Physically, we are really spread out with one sister in CA, one in UT, one in MN, one brother in MN, one brother in WI, my mom in MN, and my dad in a nursing home in WI. So, the sister in MN, and the two brothers are physically close to my parents, so they are fairly close in relationship. However, due to some abuse problems, my two sisters out west are more removed from the relationships, as am I and my own family.
However, I think that my own children are rather close to each other. There are, of course, conflicts between them at times. But for the most part, they enjoy doing things together.
NightHawk
May I make a distinction... My father, who was a newspaper manager for years always complained with my mother over this... 'Family' is in fact your spouse and children if you are married and the others become 'relatives'. If you are yet unwed... then your mother, father, brothers, sisters are your family.
Anyway... am I close with my family - Yes!
My relatives... No!
Ref: dictionary,com
Fam"i*ly\, n.; pl. Families. [L. familia, fr. famulus servant; akin to Oscan famel servant, cf. faamat he dwells, Skr. dh[=a]man house, fr. dh[=a]to set, make, do: cf. F. famille. Cf. Do, v. t., Doom, Fact, Feat.] 1. The collective body of persons who live in one house, and under one head or manager; a household, including parents, children, and servants, and, as the case may be, lodgers or boarders.
2. The group comprising a husband and wife and their dependent children, constituting a fundamental unit in the organization of society {JB's definition}
The welfare of the family underlies the welfare of society. --H. Spencer.
3. Those who descend from one common progenitor; a tribe, clan, or race; kindred; house; as, the human family; the family of Abraham; the father of a family. [my definition]
Yes, my family and I are close. We are spread out a little, like Nighthawk's family. Two brothers and two sisters in the Puget Sound area of Washington, I am in Oregon and the baby sister in Georgia. We disagree, we fight (via emails), we ignore each other. But we love each other and would do anything for the other. My baby brother's wife once commented that we all love each other Unconditionally. She had never experienced that, ever, and it truly overwhelmed her. I can't think of loving my family in any other way.
On a superficial level, i think that im close with my parents. Its not really 'me' that is so close to them. I tend to stay away from my parents, and sometimes my brothers. I dont really express my feelings around them, and to me that makes a person 'close' to another, is being free to express somthing with them. I know when i have kids, this will affect how close my future family is, as i will most likely carry on an isolated mind set, or treat my children as my parents treat me. ^_^ i hope not though.
My family used to be close, my sisters and my mom and I. But we are now so spread out and have grown apart so much, it's very sad. In fact I have one sister who has stopped speaking to my mother over some old business. We email each other, my sisters and I, MAYBE once every two months, and phone calls are even rarer. I email with my mother maybe once a week, and we speak on the phone regularly. Of course, mom and dad are moving down here soon and we will live together, so that's going to make a big difference.
But with my kids I am extremely close!
Roz
My family like with my mom and dad's family we didn't used to be close. But hard times have drawn my family close together. Although, there are still times there feels like some sort of distance, relationship wise, we're still pretty close.
My family is very very close. We know each other to the bottom of our hearts. There are no secrets or trickeries going on. I am especially close to my little brother, with whom I play a lot, and my twin sister, with whom I lived all of my life together.