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Anyone else have a strained family relationship with a family member?

Brent

Admiral
Admiral
I feel kind of sad because I don't have the relationship I feel I should with my half-sister. The story gets a little muddled due to the fact that my dad (whom is also her dad) divorced her mom, and thus threw us all into separating, more than 10 years ago. She stayed with her mother 1,000 miles away from where I moved to, back home with my mom, while my dad went his third way back to his home state.

For 10 years of my sisters life (age 4-14) she hardly knew me and my other sister (her half-sister, my full-sister.) We saw each other every year at Christmas when my dad would bring her down to my Grandmas house, and we would have that time together, but for for the rest of the year I was very stupid (young myself) and did not try to even show any interest in her life growing up.

She has another half-brother, on her mothers side, whom did live with her all those years, and thus they have a close sibling relationship. Me however, she just doesn't. However, I am much older than her, 14 years older to be exact, and as of a few years ago, I wanted to change this. I wanted to get to know her, include her in my life and be involved in her life and her interests.

I genuinely want to develop a strong sibling relationship with her, as I currently have with my other (full-sister) whom I am 5 years apart in age. So, I started making attempts at communicating with her more, staying up to date on happenings in her life, telling her about things in mine.

As of 2 years ago I made the decision to move back up here to where I use to live, and she currently lives. Even odder is that only 6 months ago my other sister also decided to move up here after I did, and now she lives up here too, so all of us siblings are here in the same place. Yet, the relationship we have with our half-sister just isn't what we both hoped it would be.

At first, she was very excited we were up here, and we did a lot of things together, then I guess the newness wore off, and now it is incredibly hard to communicate with her, she just won't talk with us like siblings do. Then there are the trips her mom and her take, and neither me nor my other sister are ever invited or welcomed to go with them, it is as if they are their own little family, and we just aren't included in that. I understand WHY it is this way, but I don't like it, and wish it to change, but of course nothing will happen if the other party isn't willing for it to be that way.

Thus, we are at a standstill as far as the relationship goes. We all live in the same place, only 15 minutes from each other, but yet we live apart, not as a family, not as siblings. It should also be noted that we get along with her mother quite well, she is very nice to us, treats us well, communicates with us frequently. The problem isn't with our previous "step-mother", but rather with our own flesh and blood sister. We just don't have that sibling relationship with her that we should, and sure, it is our fault, but we have a desire for that to be different, and better.

Our hope, is that our 16 year old sister will mature, and accept us both as her siblings at some point in the future. She is young, and will go through many changes, so we hold on to that hope, and in the meantime we are there to help and support her when she needs it, but as it stands right now she just doesn't want to have anything to do with us. It should also be noted we don't call her other half anything, I always make sure we refer to each other as just "sister" and "brother" cause that is how I feel about it.

I kind of just needed to vent, and get that off my chest. I'd like to hear about others troubles, so that I know I'm not alone, and through opening up perhaps I won't be so worried about it, cause I'm a worrier!
 
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Re: Anyone else have a strained family relationship with a family memb

I have a half-brother by my dad as well. We had the same type of situation. My dad divorced his mom and we both lived with our mothers.

I am about 6 yrs older then he is. We have had our ups and downs in our relationship. I hear from him very rarely, however, in our case it is because his mother was a drug user and he fell into her life style. I have had to bail him out of jail a couple of times when he was a teenager and I feel that he really used the fact that we were related to get him out of jams like this. I reached a point that I could no longer enable him in his way of life and told him that I would no longer help him unless it was to put him into rehab or get him some kind of addiction help. He did not take that very well and we did not speak again for many years. He now has a family and as far as I know he is drug free. We see each other occasionally at my dad's house but I believe our relationship will never be a true sibling relationship.

I tried all I could to be involved in his life but I had to eventually let it go. If he ever wants to have a relationship with me I will be here for him. If not, at least I have the comfort of knowing that I tried my best and have no regrets.

As far as your sister is concerned she is a teenager. Our teenage daughter has a very active social life and is making excellent grades in school, so she has very little time for anything else. We rarely spend any time with her, unless she needs help with her homework or money, and we live under the same roof. I don't think I would worry too much. Just let her know how you feel and how much you want to be a part of her life. Be available when she needs or wants to spend time with you. That's really all you can do.
 
Re: Anyone else have a strained family relationship with a family memb

I have no relationship with my dad's side of the family and only with half of my mother's side of her family.
 
Re: Anyone else have a strained family relationship with a family memb

I have been lucky, I guess. I have had a great relationship with everyone in my family. I don't know what it's like to have domestic squabbles, and I have *never* had to handle violence. I've grown up idolizing my father, who raised me alone (my mother died when I was a kid :( ).

That being said, I suppose my relationship with my mom's side of the family was not *quite* what it should be - not strained, nothing even close to that, just maybe not quite so gregarious. They lived farther away, mostly on farms, and so I grew up mostly with my dad's relatives. So I was closer to my dad's side of the family than my mom's. Plus my paternal grandparents were always way more inclined to spoil me. :p
 
Re: Anyone else have a strained family relationship with a family memb

My brother is concerned with himself; my sister's thought processes elude me but she's not horrible (just daft a bit). I don't bother too much with cousins, though about 1/3 of them are very worthwhile. My grandmother is a 95yo bitch who keeps on living (evil won't die).

My Mom is great. My Dad was great. Most of my in-laws are really pretty good--I got lucky there.
 
Re: Anyone else have a strained family relationship with a family memb

I don't get on with my eldest son. He also doesn't get on with his brothers, his grandmother nor his aunts or uncles. When my Dad was terminally ill he asked that my eldest son not be allowed to visit him.

He lies about everything and he steals if he visits. He phones people at 2 or 3 in the morning and he is usually drunk when he does.
 
Re: Anyone else have a strained family relationship with a family memb

I kind of just needed to vent, and get that off my chest. I'd like to hear about others troubles, so that I know I'm not alone, and through opening up perhaps I won't be so worried about it, cause I'm a worrier!

She's still a teenager and you have a lot of time ahead. You may never be as close as you are with your other sister, and that makes sense, but things may change and you may grow closer with time. Keep the lines of communication open, try to stay involved in each others lives, and see what happens. It's great that you want a relationship with her.

I have two siblings; my older brother is 30, my sister is 28, and I'm 26. We were all very close growing up although we went through fights like any siblings. Unfortunately in the past year or so, I set off a chain of events that has now led to my sister being estranged from the family. I sometimes question what I did and feel guilty, but ultimately I try to remember that she made her own choices as did I, and it's not all my doing.

She just moved to the other side of the country and we haven't been on speaking terms for awhile now. She was once my closest friend and now I honestly don't know when we'll speak next. I think about her all the time and I miss her, but I need to get on with my life and the drop in drama levels helps me in a way. I never thought I'd be estranged from my own sister.
 
Re: Anyone else have a strained family relationship with a family memb

My sister and I hardly talk, I rarely talk to most of my cousins, maybe 1-2 times a year even through we all live near each other (within like 5 miles). Same with most of my aunts. I'm close to my grandparents and my mom.
 
Re: Anyone else have a strained family relationship with a family memb

My mother is the only member of my family. I think I've seen her once in 20 years. She had what I now believe are mental health problems when I was a child. It pretty much destroyed our relationship. I still don't know what I feel about not seeing her. I feel I suffer from not having a mother in my life, on the other hand, her mental health issues made me ill, so that was that.
 
Re: Anyone else have a strained family relationship with a family memb

I haven't spoken to my brother in almost 20 years, don't foresee myself ever speaking to him again, and have no desire to. We were close as children, but never forged a relationship as adults. He also estranged himself from the rest of the family about fifteen years ago. We thought maybe he would put that aside, even if briefly, when my dad died 2 years ago, but he never returned our call, or acknowledged it in any way.
 
Re: Anyone else have a strained family relationship with a family memb

I haven't spoken to extended family members on my mom's side of the family in 10 years. I don't miss it. I don't pick fights but I have no interest in mending fences either. I did bump into my uncle while visiting my Dad in the hospital last year. We were cordial, and I did thank him for caring about my folks. But I still refused to let him know my address or number.
 
Re: Anyone else have a strained family relationship with a family memb

I can't sympathize with your exact situation, but I can say that all you can do is offer your guidance, friendship-- and leave it at that. Frankly, at 16 years old she is still a child in what is the most transformational and confusing period of her life. Relationships take time. Whereas you feel that connection and probably always have-- even in absence, she may relate to you more as a distant cousin who now lives nearby (albeit somebody I'm sure she cares about). I wouldn't go so far as to "hold out hope," -- just be there for her as much as you can, be mindful of her stage in life and happily live your own. If you live a strong, comfortable and independent life she'll pick up on that and may want to share in that someday as a sister.

Obviously I don't know the entire situation, but what you are describing doesn't sound "strained" it just sounds reasonably underdeveloped.

-----

I see we are also sharing our own stories-- I have a large Italian-Irish family and we are all very close. These has been some "strain" due to pretty big circumstances for some, but not in a way that is irreparable. Family is always the most important thing.
 
Re: Anyone else have a strained family relationship with a family memb

Don't talk to my dads side of family and I have a strained relationship with my mum cause shes a nutjob. Family ey :rolleyes:
 
Re: Anyone else have a strained family relationship with a family memb

Don't really talk to mums or my dads side of the family no big falling out just never that close.
But as jax said our mother is a nutter and even though we live in the same house i try to avoid her as much as i can.
Sometimes i can go a whole day with out talking to her.
 
Re: Anyone else have a strained family relationship with a family memb

Reassuring to know that everyone's pretty much in the same boat with relatives, huh? EVERYONE has a relative or relatives that they can honestly do without.

I look at it this way, happenstance made you family. Look at the people you choose as your friends to see the type of person you are.
 
Re: Anyone else have a strained family relationship with a family memb

I look at it this way, happenstance made you family. Look at the people you choose as your friends to see the type of person you are.

That's my opinion on the matter, as well.
 
Re: Anyone else have a strained family relationship with a family memb

I used to have a big problem with my dad, but I'm happy to say we've managed to put that behind us. Or rather I've come to realize that my dad has always and will always love me and be proud of me. I used to think that he saw me as a failure, but a few years back when I had a breakdown I and mom and dad talked a lot. Things between has only improved since. And now that I'm into cars we have something to talk about as well :)
 
Re: Anyone else have a strained family relationship with a family memb

I consider myself the family oddball.

I'm very close to my mother (who turns 90 tomorrow) and having a passible relationship with a half-sister because of mom, also her daughter. I also have a cousin that I talk to but that is the extent of it.

I have a brother I haven't even given my address or phone number too. He is 29 years older than me and is named Dick - he lives up to his name.

I also have another brother I have not seen more than 3-4 times in my life. Finally there is a sister I have never met and I don't even know if she is alive.

Since my wife and I plan to move out of the country in about 10-years (after we retire), I fully expect to become the "I wonder whatever happened to..." family member.

I just don't have anything in common with my siblings.
 
Re: Anyone else have a strained family relationship with a family memb

I have a half-brother by my dad as well. We had the same type of situation. My dad divorced his mom and we both lived with our mothers.

I am about 6 yrs older then he is. We have had our ups and downs in our relationship. I hear from him very rarely, however, in our case it is because his mother was a drug user and he fell into her life style. I have had to bail him out of jail a couple of times when he was a teenager and I feel that he really used the fact that we were related to get him out of jams like this. I reached a point that I could no longer enable him in his way of life and told him that I would no longer help him unless it was to put him into rehab or get him some kind of addiction help. He did not take that very well and we did not speak again for many years. He now has a family and as far as I know he is drug free. We see each other occasionally at my dad's house but I believe our relationship will never be a true sibling relationship.

I tried all I could to be involved in his life but I had to eventually let it go. If he ever wants to have a relationship with me I will be here for him. If not, at least I have the comfort of knowing that I tried my best and have no regrets.

As far as your sister is concerned she is a teenager. Our teenage daughter has a very active social life and is making excellent grades in school, so she has very little time for anything else. We rarely spend any time with her, unless she needs help with her homework or money, and we live under the same roof. I don't think I would worry too much. Just let her know how you feel and how much you want to be a part of her life. Be available when she needs or wants to spend time with you. That's really all you can do.

I'm sorry to hear about your situation as well, things just don't go like we want, heh.

Thank you for the advice about my sister, yeah, she is only 16, so I hold on to hope that things will change for the positive as she grows up. I let her know how I feel when I can, and I always try to be a part of her life, but it is really hard a lot of times because I never know what she is doing in her life. She doesn't stay in communication with me well, and doesn't tell me exciting new things in her life that I can be a part of.

For example, she just recently got her first car. They went through the process of picking it out at Carmax, looking at it, and buying it. I wasn't aware that any of this was happening, and missed the opportunity to be a part of that, simply because she just didn't tell me what was going on, in no conversation was it ever brought up, even when I was over at the house for dinner one night, it was never mentioned.

Once I did find out though, and the car was sitting there in the garage, I showed great interest about it, took lots of pictures, put them up on facebook, and told her how happy I was for her and everything. But I did wish I knew about it sooner so I could have been a part of that, cause that is a really exciting thing for a girl this age, and I am very excited for her.

There are other things that I have only heard through other people too, such as the fact that she has applied for a job to start this summer, and her interest in taking Drama next year. I wish she would tell me these things directly instead of me having to hear them through other people. Maybe as you said, maturity and growth will change this, I do hold hope.

I kind of just needed to vent, and get that off my chest. I'd like to hear about others troubles, so that I know I'm not alone, and through opening up perhaps I won't be so worried about it, cause I'm a worrier!

She's still a teenager and you have a lot of time ahead. You may never be as close as you are with your other sister, and that makes sense, but things may change and you may grow closer with time. Keep the lines of communication open, try to stay involved in each others lives, and see what happens. It's great that you want a relationship with her.

I have two siblings; my older brother is 30, my sister is 28, and I'm 26. We were all very close growing up although we went through fights like any siblings. Unfortunately in the past year or so, I set off a chain of events that has now led to my sister being estranged from the family. I sometimes question what I did and feel guilty, but ultimately I try to remember that she made her own choices as did I, and it's not all my doing.

She just moved to the other side of the country and we haven't been on speaking terms for awhile now. She was once my closest friend and now I honestly don't know when we'll speak next. I think about her all the time and I miss her, but I need to get on with my life and the drop in drama levels helps me in a way. I never thought I'd be estranged from my own sister.

Thank you for your story, and as I posted above, I certainly want to remain a part of her life, if only I knew what was going on, heh. I do try though, and when I am aware of something, I show my support and interest and am genuinely excited for the new things in her life.

I've only been living back up here for 2 years now, so I guess I need to keep being patient. I guess as humans we want things to happen instantly.
 
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