Siblings

[crunchies0313]

I am one of three girls. I have an older sister who is happily married, and a younger sister who just started college. I can remember growing up that we would team up. It would always be 2 against 1, someone was always unhappy. Now that we are older things are different, but the funny thing is we still seem to team up. My older sister and I seem to be closer. I can talk to her anytime, and for a while I even lived with her and my brother in law when we were housing family members from the hurricane. I look at my relatinship with my little sister and it makes no sense to me. We shared a room for a number of years, so you would think we would be closer, but not the case. Now I have to test the waters to see if I can even say Hi. My mom used to say I was emotional, and a time bomb, but I think I have given my title up. I know its somewhat normal not to get along with siblings, but is 3 just a bad number? I love my sisters to death, and feel very bad for my dad who just wanted a son, but does child order and number of children really make a difference? Even though using the "Its because I'm a middle child" is always a great excuse!

By the way...I give my dad credit for raising 3 daughters, staying with his wife, and having a female dog, and still staying very very very masculine. Still scary sometimes to talk to him!!! :p

[Kate]

I have one older brother by 22 months. We were best friends for most of our lives. There were a few rocky years, but now we talk frequently. When we were younger, people thought we were boyfriend and girlfriend (ewwwww!) cause we were always together and didn't look very much alike. He always had cute friends, too. When I was in junior high, he brought home 3 friends that I had crushes on one day after school. I was in heaven when they were in my house! :D But one of this friends I was IN LOVE with for junior high and most of high school. He was so cute and so nice to me. My brother told me later that he never let his friends date me. :( Oh well. He probably knew them better than I did!

[Aussie Friend]

In my house 3 does seem a bad number as our middle child thinks he gets overlooked all the time and that we care more for the older and younger siblings. This isn't true but it would seem he chooses to see anything they get but nothing he gets.

We have always tried to even everything out but to no avail with him. I know he perhaps even does better but he recently told me I care mainly for the others and gave them everything which was very upsetting.

I spoke with his older sister about his claim. She said she now keeps her distance as she can no longer handle the jealousy. She said mum you just have to accept that's the way he sees it and he's always been jealous.

Just a shame this happens but for him I really do see it as middle child syndrome! I'm hoping as he matures he grows out of it.

[Sib2of11]

I come from a very large family with 6 sisters and 4 brothers. Although we all grew up in Rhode Island, only two brothers and two sisters still live here. My Mother lives in Maine, as do 3 of my sisters and one brother. Another sister lives in New York and a brother lives in Indiana.

Growing up in a large family was fun. We always had someone to play with and to talk with, and we were never alone. We had a reunion several years ago and it was such fun for all of us to be together again. Actually, I see most of out-of-state family often except for the brother in Indiana.

I really enjoy the company of my sibs, but there isn't much more I enjoy more than spending time with my sisters. Now that we're getting old(er) we love to reminisce about those days gone by. We have such fun and the time goes by sooo quickly.

[Canadian Girl]

I'm from a relatively small family... well, at least as far as rural families go: I'm the oldest of 4 children. I have 2 brothers, 1 who is 18 months -2 days younger than I am :lol: and 1 who is slightly more than 12 years younger. I also have 1 sister who is 10 years younger than I am. My mom used to say she had two families :lol:

Of all the members of my family, I've always been closest to my mother: we call everyday, sometimes several times a day and have a lot of the same tastes and same interests. I do talk with my sister, but we're very, very different :)

While my brothers and I ge along, our conversations are always very short and sweet :)

[wingriderprincess]

I am the 5th child out of 7. I have 4 sisters and 2 brothers. It's really odd.. we seldom call each other but when we get together it's as though we haven't been apart. The two oldest girls are in N. Carolina and the rest of us live within 150 miles from each other. :)

[crunchies0313]

IThis isn't true but it would seem he chooses to see anything they get but nothing he gets.

That says it right there. I am a middle child and now looking back when I was younger everything was equal, but I chose not to see that. I think for me that I wanted special attention. Time with my mom that wasn't with my sisters, just me, which I had, but I always felt that my sisters had more. The funny thing was we all had little titles. My older sister was the second mom, I was the whiner, and my little sister was the bully. All of this is still true today!!

[charliemae]

Sib2 is my sister, so there isn't too much more to add. We were poor, but never needed to look very far for a playmate. Christmas was always pretty good....we always got a new doll for Christmas, so that "new doll smell" always filled the parlor. In the mornings, there was always a small line of kids waiting outside the bathroom door. Usually, there was one yelling at the occupant to hurry up. Funny now, but not very fuuny then.

[Sofina]

I am the mother of 5 children and my middle dd has struggled some and blames some of it on being the middle child. Looking back on it I have to say I think there is some truth to it, but nothing that anyone did on purpose. Her older brother and sister are very close and have very strong personalities. There are 5 yrs between her and her older sister and 4 yrs between her and the next sister.
There were circumstances beyond my control that caused my children to be spread so far apart,but I feel it was also a contributing factor. It is possible for a child in the middle of two older, dynamic personalities and two younger, cuter babies to feel she is left out of the attention even if you try very hard not to let that happen. :(
On the other hand, I am the middle child of 7. I was well-adjusted and never doubted myself or my secure place in my family for a second. Personalities are also a part of this picture. We have to take into account the disposition of each person. Some just need extra love and attention no matter where they are in the family.

Blessings, Sofina

[Mori]

I'm an only daughter with 4 brothers Iadore. I miss not having a sister because I can't discuss woman things with them but I have a sister in laws that I think of as a siter & we're close...most of the time! Still it's not the same. I'm very close to my Mom as well & grew up being daddy's girl of course!

[LoveRainbows]

I'm the oldest of three sisters. Me & my middle sister are very close. We're like best friends. We are not close with our baby sister at all. I think it's really sad. My mom doesn't help matters any either. How can you always remember the youngest and forget about the other two? That's how it is with my family. My mom always remembers her birthday every year, takes her out, calls her all the time. It's like me and my middle sister don't exsist. I have her only two grandchildren and it's like they don't exsist either. Me and my middle sister have been through alot together. Sometimes we get on each other's nerves, but we always bounce right back.

[Aussie Friend]

Hi Love Rainbows,
Funny how some mothers can just forget they have more children than the baby of the family. I'm the eldest of seven and my mother only seems to remember the youngest but you know what as much as it hurts, we will survive it and the only thing we can do is not make the same mistakes with our children.

Take care.........Karen

[Tarabull719]

Jessica,

I must have been in your head while you were writing that post. I too am the middle girl. My younger sister and I are also very strained. It's sad. For whatever reason (think sleepovers) 3 girls never work out. There always seems to be some sort of tension.

[clogaholic]

I'm from a large family too. I'm one of 8 girls and 2 boys. Being the 3 from the oldest, that meant I usually had a lot of chores and responsibilities. But, we had a lot of fun too.

We try to all get together at least at Christmas time. We have a hugh family party with anywhere from 65 - 75 people attending :woohoo: A wonderful time!

[Parrothead]

I'm the third of five kids also, two older sisters, a younger sister and they baby is a boy. Growing up it seemed my two older sisters were pretty close, they are three years apart in age, I'm almost 4 years younger than sister 2, 4 years older than my younger sister, brother is only 2 1/2 years younger than she is, they always seemed close. I always felt kind of left out, I was too young to do a lot of things with the older two and two old for a lot of things the younger two did together. My Mom hasn't helped things - my oldest sister was special cause she was the oldest, next sister was the brain and the fixer and my mom's best friend, younger sister was always introduced at the baby girl, and my brother was her baby boy. Me? To this day she will still introduce me as "Number 3".

We are all pretty close now, sister #2 lives in Florida but we email and talk on the phone all the time. I see my other two sisters every week, we bowl on a league together. Our brother has also become someone we can count on.

[crunchies0313]

To this day she will still introduce me as "Number 3".

My sisters and I have the same initials JLJ. So dad gave us numbers! JLJ1 JLJ2 JLJ3!! It helped him out!! Yelling our names could get a little tounge twisitng!!!

[Pipkitty]

I have an older brother and sister. I have always felt inferior to my sister. She is smart, talented, has four beautiful girls, a granddaughter and has been married for 35 years. We are complete oppisites. We don't see each other very often as we live in different states. It is hard for me to be around her. I feel like I am 10 years old instead of over 50. Maybe in need a shrink! My relationship with my brother has improved as we have grown older. We have grown closer since our father died. I see him and my sister in law more now that we moved our Mom closer to his home. Jeannie

[showme girl]

I'm the youngest of 4 (brother 56, sister 55, sister deceased who would be 53 and me 43 tomorrow). I am still the baby according to all of "them"! There is a 10, 12 and 13 year difference btw. me and "them"! Obviously, I was "unexpected". My parents were older and had more everything than when the three of "them" had to share ONE soda as I hear so often.

Sad thing is, I'm the only responsible one of them all. Our mother lives with my husband and I. The "others" could care less what is going on in mother's life....health or otherwise. However, my mother worships the ground my eldest sister walks on. Thinks she can do no wrong.

The "others" don't have time for me or mother. We live 12 hours from "them". I have moved on, made my place in the world and only exchange pleasantries. Sad, but this real life, not TV or the movies.

[jaycie]

I am the oldest of 4 -- 2 brothers (who are in the middle) and 1 sister (the baby). I love them all very much, though we don't call each other very often. Thank goodness for email! My sister and I were very close when we were growing up, 8 years difference in ages, and she was ALWAYS with me. After she grew up, married, and started her own family -- we kinda grew apart and didn't see eye-to-eye on a lot of things, but we still love each other. We are all in different states now, and generally are only all together at Christmas -- and it is very different from the Christmases of our childhood as my mom struggled to raise us, but we all look forward to being together and we have a great time.

[Marian Paroo]

Hi Love Rainbows,
Funny how some mothers can just forget they have more children than the baby of the family. I'm the eldest of seven and my mother only seems to remember the youngest but you know what as much as it hurts, we will survive it and the only thing we can do is not make the same mistakes with our children.

Take care.........Karen

Sometimes the baby, sometimes the eldest... esp. when the eldest has XY chromosomes!

[Beachgirl]

I was raised with 2 sisters, both younger and we're each 16 months apart.
As children we could have gotten the golden gloves award, yes we fought, verbally and physically.
Each child carries their own baggage, whether what they think is true or not, it's their perception. I was 2nd mom all the responsiblity, no power.
Now as adults our relationships are amazing. My mother and sisters and I talk and often share about feelings, angers and disappoinments too long held, but we don't gossip about each other, and we never hear about a conversation the others have had that were in any way hurtful.
We all live in a different state in each corner of the country, but when we talk it's like no time has passed, we are closer now than we could be as kids and I know that if I needed them they would be there in a minute.
I am grateful today for my family.

[royallady]

I too was a middle sister. there were five in the family I was the middle of all i had two older sisters and two younger brothers. I felt we were close as kids but I was always left out and hung out with my mom alot (which was fun) We all live in the same area but i really do not talk to them much. holidays and birthdays just enough to say hi. They all made different choices in their lives and I have made mine. So we agree to disagree.