How much do you see your relatives?

[gonzerd]

w talk about this in another tread, so I thought, why not make a poll out of it.
Because I'm curious to see.
Me personally, I almost never see my relatives, let's call it "once a year". The only one I keep in contact with is my sister.
I never really felt that much of a connection with my direct family. There were a few exceptions, but all in all they seem to live in a very different world than mine. Also, since I was little they'd just laugh about anything I say (not in a good way) so over time, I learned to just not say anything at all.
I used to be more facilitating, going to christmas get togethers and stuff, but those were just too stressfull, and humiliating. So now it's just a few phone conversations with my sister and I'd go to visit every so often.

 

[Billi]

I put about once a month, but i would say that is averaged for the year. The disturbing thing is I live in the same town with them. I don't feel any great connection to my family, but they are good people, and I know they enjoy seeing me. They have done a lot for me over the years, every hour I spent doing homework they were helping. They fought for me with teachers, to get me the best education they could. I was not an easy kid to raise, and I know that. I was not a very affectionate child, and often shut them out of my life. They are old now, and it seems like such a small thing to do to make them happy. I am sometimes afraid they think I don't care, but if anyone understands my quirks they do, although they don't know about my ASD. I think if they did, they would accept it after going though the usual denial. I wish I could ask them about all the stuff from my childhood. I know once they thought about it they would see it clear as day. I won't though, they are taking care of my sister who has MS. All my reasons for telling them are only selfish, I am the only one who would gain from it, and I am OK without the additional validation. Plus I think they would feel guilty for not getting me more help as a child. (Even though there was no AS diagnosis when I was a kid.)

 

[. . .]

I voted "Less than once a year".

I haven't seen anyone in my family other than my mom, niece, sister, brother, dad and brother-in-law for about seven years. The only exceptions are my grandma and grandpa -- I saw my grandma once and my grandpa twice, though I really didn't want to (I don't mind my grandma but dislike my grandpa) -- and one cousin who unexpectedly showed up here last year.

I refuse to go to family get-togethers and the like because I know my family has disowned me. I don't get along with them anyway though. They don't bother contacting me or anything and try to forget that I even exist. Why? Mostly because I haven't found success in life and am broke. Much of my family only associate themselves with people who're loaded . . . it bugs me.

 

[Firnafth]

I see my family members two or three times a year, but only once or twice per family group (my mother and father are divorced). Once a year or so per close family member is fine with me - I do talk to them on the phone weekly - but they often nag me to come visit me more often, which makes me feel guilty so I do try sometimes but with a small amount of resentment. It is not that I dislike seeing them so much as it is costly and stressful - both because travel is stressful and because my siblings can be stressful to be around.

 

[Droopy]

I see my mums side of the family a few times each year. I rarely see my dad's side though, perhaps because he works/had worked with most of them in the family business and thus has less need to visit regularly. Ironically, I found out this year that my mum was adapted and that her side of the family aren't really family if you know what I mean (not blood related). I say it's ironic because I had a closer connection to them than my dad's side of the family who are real/blood related. I like my family and I don't have a problem with them but I would like to see them more.

 

[CJinherPJs]

I see my mum's side of the family more often now since my nan came to live with us at Christmas. I hardly ever see my dad's side though, usually only about twice a year if that.

 

[Sir Les Patterson]

Do see my kids a lot. The rest? Never

 

[Geordie]

I see my sisters every month or so, my parents every week. That's all

 

[Mr Allen]

I see Mum and Dad several times a week, my Brother and his Family (wife and 2 kids) live in South West London, we're actually going down next weekend to see them, we try and go down once a month or they come to us sometimes.

 

[Cali Cat]

I don't have much family left nearby, only the in-laws of my late husband. I rarely contact any of my relatives though, even though we are on very good terms. I'm just not terribly family-oriented. I prefer solitude or the company of my very few nearby friends, and (of course) my Internet friends.

 

[Astroganga]

About once a year, most of them do live over 200 miles away though.

 

[NothingToSeeHere]

I wasn't sure how to answer this question, as I haven't seen any of my family in over a year due to being on the opposite side of the world, and before that I was living with my parents and so saw them everyday... However, before that when I was living alone I saw them about once a month, and as I will be heading back to England soon I'll probably drop back into this patterns once I am settled. I generally see my sister a couple of times a year.

 

[SingaSong]

I frequently see my parents, I have to as they are very much my emotional support and give me a lot of practical help as well . I wish but I wasn't so lonely. I see other relatives pretty regularly, bearing in mind that they live pretty far away some abroad. For the ones living abroad I'm all like to see them for a longer period ( they'll stay with my parents for a couple of weeks) , but less often.

 

[Zames]

Holidays and major occasions, mostly. I live in the city, they are all in the 'burbs, driving gets to be a nuisance. I'm not one to go visiting really. I like to be home.

 

[garnetflower13]

I'd say maybe twice a year, for holidays and such.

 

[clg113]

For my wife and I, family is very important. We see our kids and their families on a regular basis. We get a lot of pleasure from our kids, grandkids and great-grandkids.