starting off relationships forum

**Sara Noel** · 06-10-2002, 09:39 PM

Anyone else have a small family? My family was quite small and even smaller still after a couple of deaths in the past year.
What family that is left lives out of state and I seldom see.
Sometimes, this is a wonderful thing because there is very little stresses to complain about. No problems with holidays either. *LOL*
It does get a bit sad when I think of my little guy and our new little one on the way. I feel sad to think they won't have any close relatives outside of my husband and myself. I often wonder how I will compensate for an entire lack of family.
Anyone else with a very small family or a family torn by feuds etc?

Sara

**PrairieRose** · 06-10-2002, 09:44 PM

*my* family (my side of our marriage) is sort of small due to bad relationships with siblings (a sibling and then my parents as well). So although we have a big, extended family we don't really see them as much as I would like. It's really sad to have the family but choose not to spend time with them. I would imagine that you have a large family of friends sara, that will compensate a good deal for the lack of blood relatives.

**mustang80** · 06-10-2002, 09:57 PM

I am an only child, and DH has 1 sister, so I guess that counts as small. We've all added children (us 3, her 2) plus the cousins, etc. But we are not close to DH cousins like we were as kids. DH doesn't like family functions, just because they bore him. My kids are so fortunate to know both sets of grandparents. I only had 1 grandfather growing up, all the rest had passed on. It's so nice to see them have a neat relationship with each one. It's something I never got to have.

**CAGmomof2** · 06-11-2002, 01:10 PM

My DH's family is small because he is an only child and his extended Relatives have made known to us that they want nothing to do with us ever again!!
My Family has always been kinda of small it is just my Parents and My Sister!! My Extended Family is big but we rarely ever get together !!
So I guess you could say my Family is small as well due to deaths and circumstances beyond anyone's else controll!!

**simplemom** · 06-11-2002, 03:44 PM

Sara, I know you may feel sad about having a small family, but let me tell you that sometimes it`s simpler like that.

I have one sister and we are not close. My dh has 3 brothers, one has denied his parents. We haven`t seen him in 15 years. The second brother lives in Holland and the third is the only one we see only around the major holidays. Family reunions are never very easy or confortable. We visit for the children, only.

I have 31 cousins on my mother`s side, but we don`t really see each other unless we go to a wedding or a funeral.

To compensate, we have always been very envolved with our children`s school. We have made close friends there. Closer than family...

Remember that we can chose our friends. That`s a very positive advantage. We don`t chose our family...

I read somewhere, once that some people have a second family, their friends. Well, I hope I was of some encouragement to you, Sara.