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How Often Do You Speak with Your Extended Family?
Posted on 11/7/24 at 10:13 am
Posted on 11/7/24 at 10:13 am
My grandparents have passed on. So they are out of the question.
I talk to my cousins about once a week. Quick conversations. Just checking in on how they are doing and how their kids are doing.
I speak with my aunt and uncles about once every month but we generally talk for about an hour about everything under the sun from politics to lumbago to a new recipe for banana bread.
I didn't realize until a few years ago that this was uncommon. I think it was probably when Trump was first elected and everyone was talking about how they weren't going to speak with certain family members at Thanksgiving.
That seemed crazy to me. I love my family. I'm close to every single one of them. When I was in a very bad accident and my parents were halfway across the country my aunt and uncles all drove 2+ hours to stay with me in the hospital until they could get back.
So, how often do you guys reach out? What's baseline normal?
I talk to my cousins about once a week. Quick conversations. Just checking in on how they are doing and how their kids are doing.
I speak with my aunt and uncles about once every month but we generally talk for about an hour about everything under the sun from politics to lumbago to a new recipe for banana bread.
I didn't realize until a few years ago that this was uncommon. I think it was probably when Trump was first elected and everyone was talking about how they weren't going to speak with certain family members at Thanksgiving.
That seemed crazy to me. I love my family. I'm close to every single one of them. When I was in a very bad accident and my parents were halfway across the country my aunt and uncles all drove 2+ hours to stay with me in the hospital until they could get back.
So, how often do you guys reach out? What's baseline normal?
Posted on 11/7/24 at 10:15 am to PurpleandGold Motown
Now that I think about it, as we got older, very seldom. I guess we saw my cousins often while we were younger because my parents were always with their siblings.
I guess as you get older and have families of your own, you do your own thing.
I guess as you get older and have families of your own, you do your own thing.
Posted on 11/7/24 at 10:20 am to Hangover Haven
quote:
Now that I think about it, as we got older, very seldom. I guess we saw my cousins often while we were younger because my parents were always with their siblings.
I guess as you get older and have families of your own, you do your own thing.
My advice for what it's worth is to reach out. They would probably be happy to talk with you.
What's the old saying, "The older you get, the more you need the people that remember when you were young."
Posted on 11/7/24 at 10:20 am to PurpleandGold Motown
Just Thanksgivings, Christmas, and Easter
Posted on 11/7/24 at 10:20 am to PurpleandGold Motown
Only at funerals and weddings
Posted on 11/7/24 at 10:33 am to PurpleandGold Motown
Funerals and weddings.
Posted on 11/7/24 at 10:40 am to PurpleandGold Motown
Maybe once or twice a year for some, less for others.
Posted on 11/7/24 at 10:53 am to PurpleandGold Motown
For the most part its funerals and weddings. Of my parents 5 combined siblings, I see 2 randomly throughout the year if I happen to go to my dad's house and they are over. 1 will call me if he needs tax/financial advice; even though I have explained numerous times that while I am a CPA, I am not well versed in either of those. The other 2 I have not seen since my grandma, their mom's, funeral about 15 years ago
Posted on 11/7/24 at 10:53 am to PurpleandGold Motown
Not as much as I need to.
Posted on 11/7/24 at 10:57 am to PurpleandGold Motown
I talk to my grandpa maybe once a month, should be more. I need to call him more often, he doesn't really like to talk on the phone though. I'm slacking. I talk to my favorite aunt maybe 3 or 4 times a week. We text almost daily. They are the only two I have left on my paternal side of my family that I have always been closest with.
The rest of my aunts, uncles, cousins I don't talk with on the phone really. Its more FB messenger, texts, etc and it just depends whats going on. Sometimes daily for weeks, sometimes we go quiet for months.
But everyone is still close. If I were to need someone I could send out a bat signal though and someone would be here tomorrow. I think that is somewhat of a rare thing, but after I lost mom her siblings kinda viewed me as their responsibility.
The rest of my aunts, uncles, cousins I don't talk with on the phone really. Its more FB messenger, texts, etc and it just depends whats going on. Sometimes daily for weeks, sometimes we go quiet for months.

Posted on 11/7/24 at 10:58 am to PurpleandGold Motown
I’m replying to my bastard son right now
Posted on 11/7/24 at 11:00 am to Jack Daniel
quote:
I’m replying to my bastard son right now
Did you get the cigarettes, Dad?
Posted on 11/7/24 at 11:04 am to PurpleandGold Motown
One set of cousins I see a few times a year. The other set were at my mother's funeral last spring and it was the first time I had seen them in about 15 years. We're not estranged, just not particularly close.
Posted on 11/7/24 at 11:05 am to PurpleandGold Motown
My Vietnamese refugee kids from the 70's?
My African aid kids from the 80's?
My Russian mail order bride from thew 90's?
You have to be a bit more specific.

My African aid kids from the 80's?
My Russian mail order bride from thew 90's?
You have to be a bit more specific.

Posted on 11/7/24 at 11:16 am to PurpleandGold Motown
Sorry it took 25 years. Traffic was a bitch
Posted on 11/7/24 at 11:25 am to PurpleandGold Motown
sadly i talk to my Wife's family more than I talk to my own. i talk to my mom and dad all the time, helping mom with my dad and his dementia - but outside of them, I do not think anyone in my family has actually contacted me and my wife to say hi, ask how we are doing, tell us to go frick ourselves in probly 5 years (although the silence from them is probly the latter i typed).
my sis inlaws son plays high school football in TX - and I stream his games and talk to them all the time.
my sis inlaws son plays high school football in TX - and I stream his games and talk to them all the time.
Posted on 11/7/24 at 11:26 am to HoustonChick86
Forget about extended family. I don’t think anyone keeps in touch with friends as often as they should once you reach 40 or so.
Posted on 11/7/24 at 11:37 am to PurpleandGold Motown
Grandmother- I see her when I see my parents, which is about 5-10 times per year.
Mom - We text close to daily, or at least every couple days. Phone call once every 1-2 weeks. Dad I'd say I communicate with by proxy of mom. He still has a phone with prepaid minutes.
Brother - Random odd texts, but not really phone talkers. See him when I see my parents.
Aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. - Christmas or weddings/funerals only.
My parents don't live far (about half an hour), but we always have lots of plans on weekends, so it's hard to plan going sit on their couch for several hours on a Sunday. Even if we don't have Sunday plans, it is usually a recovery day.
Mom - We text close to daily, or at least every couple days. Phone call once every 1-2 weeks. Dad I'd say I communicate with by proxy of mom. He still has a phone with prepaid minutes.

Brother - Random odd texts, but not really phone talkers. See him when I see my parents.
Aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. - Christmas or weddings/funerals only.
My parents don't live far (about half an hour), but we always have lots of plans on weekends, so it's hard to plan going sit on their couch for several hours on a Sunday. Even if we don't have Sunday plans, it is usually a recovery day.
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