Those who have lost a parent..

[chalupabatman]

how close are you with that parent's side of your extended family? How often do you see them/talk to them?


My Mom's side of the family lives pretty far away; we saw them every few years when I was younger. I've kept in touch with my cousins via facebook but feel bad I have not kept in better touch with my Aunt. My Mom was really proactive about staying in touch so I feel slightly weird with that connection missing, but don't want to lose touch with them either.

[walterismydog]

I never see my dad's family, but we never saw them much before he died, either. Most of them are BSC or dead.

[Deleted]

Well, FIL was the last person alive in his family besides maybe one aunt who lives in Mexico, so not really.

[lightbulbsun]

I see my mom's parents probably 2x a month. We talk weekly. I was never really close to anyone else on that side of my family, and I expect when my grandparents die I probably won't see them again.

[discogranny]

My dad was an only child and I am the only grandchild to his parents, so I see them a lot because they have no one else. I try to make a lot of effort since I am filling the roles that would normally be filled by my dad as well as those expected of me. They involve me in many family reunions, etc. so I see my paternal extended family many times a year.

[venice2007]

After my mom passed 2 yrs ago we've lost most contact with her side. They were never close with them only my mom was.

[BunnyMacDougal]

My dad's side of the family is still very close with my mom and us. They live far from us, but we exchange Christmas cards and plan visits when I'm home. Also the facebooks.

My mom still has them over to dinner multiple times per year. My dad had a lot of cousins and uncles so its a few different visits with different groups.

My mom has a new serious boyfriend and everything, but people seem to all be okay with it.

I adore seeing my dad's uncles because their mannerisms and locution are so similar to what his were. It's comforting.

[BieberMyBalls]

Aside from my Aunt, who we see once a year, we don't see my Dad's family at all. We were never really close with them, and the ones we did keep in touch with are also gone. 2 of my first cousins, whom I've never met or even heard of until now, have recently gotten in touch with me through FB lol. That's how close that side of the family is

[cleo29]

We were better about this when I was little. Every Thanksgiving we spent it at my uncle's house and I think my grandparents visited us once a year. I think things started to shift after my grandpa passed away.

I have honestly missed not seeing them or even talking to them much. It's hard. BUt, we just spent Thanksgiving together again and I think it will be a regular thing. I am so happy for my girls to know them and for them to know my girls.

[circa1978]

Not at all but it's not a normal situation. My dad died when I was 21 but my parents divorced when I was 7. My brother became very close with that side after meeting them for the first time at the funeral. He sees them as often as once a week. I haven't seen some of them since that day.

[bluetopaz]

My mom's siblings all live in Maryland, so about 1000 miles away. I have gone up to visit mom's sister once, but I haven't heard from any of her brothers. We never spent much time with them even when mom was alive (her parents died when I was little, and I think it was really painful to go home after that). It's sad, but I don't think I'd recognize my uncles if I saw them on the street. I love my aunt and I know she loves me, it's just an odd situation.

[sneetch]

My dad's family all lives in Italy (he was born there), so not close. However, my mom still stays in contact with them and they have visited a few times. She also stays with them when she goes back to visit.

[starlily]

Not very close. My dad was the youngest of 9 & has only one surviving sibling. All of my cousins and their kids, many whom I've never met, are spread throughout India, Dubai, & Kuwait.

[chalupabatman]

Jan 9, 2013 11:09:08 GMT -5 starlily said:

Not very close. My dad was the youngest of 9 & has only one surviving sibling. All of my cousins and their kids, many whom I've never met, are spread throughout India, Dubai, & Kuwait.

That's part of the hang up....one of my uncles lives halfway across the world. And is completely annoying. But I'd like to stay in touch with the other sibling. I think I am going to start emailing my aunt more often.....

It's crazy because I can see my cousins' kids and they look so much like that side of the family.

[spitforspat]

This is one thing that's been hard. My mom's family was small to begin with, and we never did the big get-togethers that my day's side did.

Since her death I've made more of an effort to stay in touch with her family, but I don't know how it'll look in the long run.

[savannah11]

Sadly, all that is left is my Nana. My uncle and grandpa also passed shortly after my mom. I talk to my Nana weekly. I expect to be devastated when she finally passes as she is my last tie to my mom.

[Marle]

It's unfortunate but seems easy to lose contact.

My mom and extended family lived in Colombia so, I already saw them very little. Since my mom passed I have not gone back not I plan to. However my uncle lives here and that relationship hasn't changed.

I expect it to be better as long as they visit us and not the other way around. I have little reason to make such a trip without my mom being there. Even if my dad is.

[lauralala]

Not very close at this point. I exchange Christmas cards with one of his sisters, but not the other. I am FB friends with several cousins, but do not really talk to them. However, I only saw them once a year or so growing up, so I don't know that it would be much different if he were still alive.

[mrsjuleshs]

I lost my dad right before my Sr. year in high school. His step mother was HORRIBLE and really I haven't had much to do with them since. They came to my wedding and they will mail money for Christmas but that's really it. I found out my aunt (dad's step sister) and my step grandmother passed away via facebook. NOW my grandfather is trying to reach out to us over 16 years later like nothing is wrong. I feel a little bad about not answering the calls but you know what, I have made it this far in life and I don't need them to try to guilt me or build a fake relationship. Then again, we had never been super close to them. It was always "her kids" and "us" which totally sucked. I am friends with 2 of my cousins on facebook and my dad's brother but that's the extent of it.

[curtains]

I am actually closer to my dad's side of the family now. It's kind of sad but I feel like his sickness brought us all closer together.

[chedominique]

I'm close with my grandparents on my Dad's side of the family but not really the rest of the family. If I'm over their house and my uncles/aunts/cousins etc are over there, then that's a bonus for them.

My dad passed when I was 6 and I didn't get close to them again till I was in high school. There was an awkward stage in our relationship when my dad's family doubted that I was their relative because my skin was lighter than the rest of the family (ummmm my Mom is light). My half brother's Mom spread a nasty rumor after my Dad passed and some of my Dad's family believed it. It took puberty to kick in for people to see that I look JUST like him. Dumb asses.

I'm surprised I invited them to my wedding.