Do you enjoy spending time with your IMMEDIATE family?
I'm talking about brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, daughters, sons. When you are all together, what is it like and is it enjoyable?
I ask because I work in the restaurant industry, and some of the families I see that come in are...well...I always wonder what it's like in their home on Christmas. No laughter, no smiles, barely any conversation. Others are very lively and fun.
I really enjoy spending time with my family (4 adult children, mother and father still married) when we are all together. All we basically do is talk. And it's a group conversation, which I absolutely love and have found to be absent in many of my friends' families. As in, we are having ONE conversation and everyone chimes in when they want. You can sit and listen, or you can be a major participant. It takes all the pressure off that comes with one-on-one conversations. And they are so interesting. Everyone has a different sense of humor or prespective and we will just talk and talk for hours, the conversation changing subject of it's own momentum. Anyone who comes over is also sucked into our conversations. They are full of laughter and interesting stories...sometimes political or religious arguments ensue, but not too often. There is no TV in the house, nothing but the fire to look at other than each other, and that is how I grew up, so it's always been this way. We rarely play games or do anything else but talk, although I wish we did more actual activities because those are fun too. Last Christmas we went bowling together and that was a complete novelty and a lot of fun.
So tell me what it's like with your immediate family! Is it fun, is it interesting, does the time fly by or does it crawl? What do you guys do?
I ask because I work in the restaurant industry, and some of the families I see that come in are...well...I always wonder what it's like in their home on Christmas. No laughter, no smiles, barely any conversation. Others are very lively and fun.
I really enjoy spending time with my family (4 adult children, mother and father still married) when we are all together. All we basically do is talk. And it's a group conversation, which I absolutely love and have found to be absent in many of my friends' families. As in, we are having ONE conversation and everyone chimes in when they want. You can sit and listen, or you can be a major participant. It takes all the pressure off that comes with one-on-one conversations. And they are so interesting. Everyone has a different sense of humor or prespective and we will just talk and talk for hours, the conversation changing subject of it's own momentum. Anyone who comes over is also sucked into our conversations. They are full of laughter and interesting stories...sometimes political or religious arguments ensue, but not too often. There is no TV in the house, nothing but the fire to look at other than each other, and that is how I grew up, so it's always been this way. We rarely play games or do anything else but talk, although I wish we did more actual activities because those are fun too. Last Christmas we went bowling together and that was a complete novelty and a lot of fun.
So tell me what it's like with your immediate family! Is it fun, is it interesting, does the time fly by or does it crawl? What do you guys do?
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Replies
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Its awkward but nice. I mean we get along and everything. Now, my inlaws--- id rather stab my eyes out than be near them.0
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OP is fictional, right?0
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What do you mean? It's not fiction. Why, does it seem unbelievable?0
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What makes it awkward??0
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What do you mean? It's not fiction. Why, does it seem unbelievable?
Yes! You're pretty lucky
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Its awkward but nice. I mean we get along and everything. Now, my inlaws--- id rather stab my eyes out than be near them.
This.0 -
My mom annoys me.
My brothers loud.annoying sometimes.. But i guess I'll keep him.
My sister cracks me up. .She's 13, there's hope for her.
My step sister, 24, rules. And MY nieces and nephews are precious.
My two step brothers, they're stoners & they make me laugh!
My dad, if i knew him, i think I'd punch him in the face.
Yeah.0 -
Yes, I like spending time with my family. My sister and I are close and our husbands get along well, so we often have dinner at each other's house just to hang out, play board games or just shoot the breeze. Along with our parents, we all go away on holidays together too. In fact, I just spent 4 weeks overseas with them.
I also like my husbands family and have no "in-law" problems, so I'm pretty lucky 0 -
What do you mean? It's not fiction. Why, does it seem unbelievable?
Yes! You're pretty lucky
Thank you! I have definitely come to appreciate it, it seems like other families basically use the TV so they don't really have to talk to each other. And I really hate going to people's houses and having a series of one-on-one conversations that are just stupid repetitive small talk. Ugh.
But what about you?0 -
Yes, although we do get on each other's nerves from time to time.
My mom and dad have always been there for me no matter what, closely knitt....
My younger brother is Mentally Challeneged/slightly Autistic...so Yes, even if we fight...I love him with all my heart. And I hope he loves me that much =P!
And my Son, I love the evil one!!0 -
I LOVE hanging with my family. It's not very often we can ALL get together but when we do we have a blast. It's usually a good time filled with laughs. No lie! I mean, there is tension sometimes as we all have different personalities, but we get over it fast and just enjoy each others company. The great thing is we all realize how great we have it because many families are not like ours (mom/dad/2 sisters/1 brother + spouses and kids!)0
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Do you enjoy spending time with your IMMEDIATE family?
God no. The strip clubs have buffet and lap dances. Much better deal0 -
you are soooooooooooooooooooooo lucky!! mine talks but not really, and we are def not that close.. I have to beg my mom to come visit me for thanksgiving, my sister doesnt talk to me and my brother is too busy w his own life, his wife has a huge family so they just go over there for thanksgiving..
So yea.0 -
No.
I'm not even on speaking terms with my parents.
I chat to my brother on facebook occasionally but we don't really spend much time together since we live on opposite sides of the country. And since I refuse to have a relationship with my parents any longer, that means we don't really do "family" events.
Some people say you can't choose your family. I disagree. My family just don't happen to be related by blood.0 -
I have a wonderful family. Both of my brothers married really lovely women so I could have sisters(in-law or not). My only daughter passed away a couple of years ago leaving a grieving husband and 3 little kids but they're all wonderful too. I don't think I could have handled yukky family.
There might not be much money or much in the way of assets in my life but sometimes I feel like I've got everything in the world that I could possibly ask for except for my daughter back. Still.... life's pretty good with my family.0 -
What do you mean? It's not fiction. Why, does it seem unbelievable?
Yes! You're pretty lucky
Thank you! I have definitely come to appreciate it, it seems like other families basically use the TV so they don't really have to talk to each other. And I really hate going to people's houses and having a series of one-on-one conversations that are just stupid repetitive small talk. Ugh.
But what about you?
Oh, no worries around small talk at my Christmas, it's all pretty big. I'll call it 'dynamic'. I like most of my family. Lots of strong personalities (sometimes funny, sometimes stubborn) that all get along, just not usually at the same time and place. We have a minimum of two Christmasses, more if one or another sibling's in a serious relationship. At a restaurant, you'd see us having a good time together, though.0 -
With my family yes, they are kind of scattered around the globe (my brother is in the US Army and currently in Germany) so when we get together even if it's on skype or facebook it's fun. We don't really have one big conversation but we do have lots of small happy conversations.
I love my In-laws and we do have the one big conversation. I love being with my in-laws and they love being with me! (even without my hubby around!)0 -
Do you enjoy spending time with your IMMEDIATE family?
Yes and this will be the first year that I can not be with them, but I have my wife and little one and we will have a great Thanksgiving.0 -
I actually really enjoy spending time with my parents. My Dad and I aren't as close as my Mom and I are, but I think that's just because her and I can talk for hours about random stuff that he does not care about at all; therefore, we typically monopolize the dinner table conversation. :laugh: I love both of them very much though and I really enjoy getting to come home for visits and spend time with them. A lot of times I would rather just go to dinner with them and come home and watch a movie as opposed to going out with people.
I really like my extended family a lot too though. As a whole we are all very close which is nice, especially around the holidays. Getting together for thanksgiving and christmas isn't something I dread at all; I typically can't wait to see everyone.
I know what you mean though about some families seeming to not be close at all. I hear some of my friends talk about how they never want to go home on the weekends and they don't get along with their parents or siblings and it's such a foreign concept to me. I feel incredibly blessed to have such a close and loving family.0 -
Well lol... MrBigMack and I have 5 kids between us and going to a restaurant is kinda something we only do if we must. They all range from 2-12 years old and so it seems to be quite a commotion... we do enjoy one another though. I'll admit I enjoy my brood more in the comfort of our own home :bigsmile:
Taking them all to a restaurant always sounds like a good idea... then we do it! :laugh:0 -
To a point. Both my kids got married 3 years ago and they LOVE to play games, any games, and at VOLUME. Can and usually does drive me nuts. I love them and I'm so glad that now my wife can play games with them and I can "pass" and not feel guilty, Oh and if they get too loud, elliptical and TV here I come!:laugh:
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I love spending time with my family. We're all sarcastic and they're absolutely hilarious so we spend most of the time laughing 0
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I enjoy spending time with my husband and 5 children. Three of them are grown, one is married and I adore the daughter that he gave me in the form of his witty, nerdy wife. My youngest two still live at home, and they are a hoot to hang around with. Dinner conversations are quite lively, silly, and enjoyable. Even our current exchange student joins in the fun! We also enjoy watching movies together, sometimes playing games.
My oldest brother and his family don't live too far from us, so we see them several times a year. We don't see eye to eye on everything, but that's okay. Most things we do, and as time goes on, I'm getting to know his wife and understand her better. She's from another country, so there are some big differences, but I'm learning the similarities, and growing to love her.
So, to answer your question; yes! I certainly do! My husband and I are making more and more time together, since our teenagers are often busy with other things out of the house at this point in their lives. We're having fun!0 -
Well before I "cut my parents off" our relationship was already crap. My mom is extremely manipulative and has a my way or the highway attitude, my dad is a compulsive liar, and my sister inherited all those traits. So... Needless to say our family get togethers were NEVER fun. Veru irrational and immature behavior. last christms I just walked out.0
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What makes it awkward??
Because i live differently than they think i should and sometimes there are just awkward silences or smart comments. (for ex, i homeschool and thats always a egg shell conversation)0 -
My sisters are my best friends. We are all very different but we love each other very much. We can bicker but it's never serious.
My mom comforts me and encourages me. I still love her cuddles when I'm sick. Our worldviews can be conflicting and she still treats me like a child sometimes but we enjoy each others' company.
My dad and I have a lot in common. We listen to music together and watch sports. He is the greatest father on earth in my eyes.
We are all anxious people so we can get stressed and bicker. But usually everything is lighthearted and fun. We watch movies together, play games, or have family dance parties in my parents' living room.0 -
My brother can be a pain in the *kitten* sometimes, but I enjoy my family's company. I would rather go out on a Saturday night with my family than a group of friends and I'm an 18 year old girl...
I grew up with the belief that family always came first. I really only have one true friend other than my family and I'm okay with that. I love my parents, sister, and brother.0 -
My mother died 2 years ago and my father died in Oct. My two older adult kids are grown and on their own. I have a wonderful husband and a 13 yr. old at home.
As for in-laws: My single (never married), older sister-in-law lives in our basement apartment. My mum-in-law lives less than a mile away. She's legally blind but fiercely independent, so Hubs is there helping her out alllllllll the time. Another sis-in-law lives 45 mins. away and her grown kids have kids of their own. We rarely see any of them.
Holidays are kinda sad. Usually, it's just Hubs, me, our daughter, his sister, and Mum. I miss the old days. Enjoy what you have.0 -
No.
I'm not even on speaking terms with my parents.
I chat to my brother on facebook occasionally but we don't really spend much time together since we live on opposite sides of the country. And since I refuse to have a relationship with my parents any longer, that means we don't really do "family" events.
Some people say you can't choose your family. I disagree. My family just don't happen to be related by blood.
THIS
I cook at "my sister's" house. We share not one ounce of DNA makeup but we have known each other most of our lives and have been best of friends for over 20 years. Our husbands are like oil and water, her brother and his g/f and her daughter come and they are all 3 irritating as sin but they make it known how inconvenienced they are for having to attend a family gathering and stay to eat but will then promptly leave.
I do the majority of the cooking because A) I make a mean Thanksgiving dinner and I do it better with no one in my way.
a couple of recipes are known only by me and not written down. C) My "sister" doesn't have the patience to cook the way I do so I take over her kitchen for the day.
We talk, though mostly a few smaller group convos going rather than one large group. My "BIL" is totally anti-social and sort of a jackbag. Depending on his ("BIL") mood, it could put my husband off into being anti-social as well but he's pretty enamored with our neices so they do a good job entertaining him and whatnot. My kids will be coming after having dinner with their father so there will be 12 for our dinner.
I am currently refinishing some furniture for my daughter in their garage so tomorrow I will spend a good portion of the day returning to sanding in between kitchen requirements since we are scheduled to ahve the warmest Thanksgiving in 40 years and the warmest day where I have time to work on it in 3 weeks. The weather will have everybody out in the yard so I intend to take full advantage of the opportunity. My daughter needs the dresser asap... LOL
I rarely speak to my blood family. MY brother could be dead for all I know. I hate that he and I don't speak but I got past that years ago. My father who I adored has passed; my mother- I won't go into that but we speak only in regard to my 16 year old sister, who I don't get to see much of because of my mother and her husband but she and I are close in terms of texting and social media... she gets her license soon :glasses: . The in-laws are all annoying but we get along fine. We spend Christmas with them typically and it is a good time, though there the TV is on. we talk but typically so much laughter and good times, more like everyday jargon with a few comical points here or there.0 -
I have a very broken family, so they don't even get in the same room together in the first place. Makes me sad. I hope the time I spend with my children and future grandchildren is better.0
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