How often do you visit family?

[Anonymous]

I moved to Chicago for work after growing up in DC and going to college there as well. I only visit twice a year. I'm starting to think about coming home more(once a season perhaps). But flights can be so expensive. I have teenage step siblings who I love and adore and would love to see them more often. I have a pretty good relationship with my parents as well, although my brother, mom, and stepfather have bad financial habits, so it causes a bit of strain in our relationship(hence a big reason why I moved so far away). I did consider moving to Philadelphia or NYC area to be closer, as I am 30 and want to start a family soon. But things are going pretty well here and I am very happy minus my career.

[Anonymous]

FaceTime and Skype. Twice a year is enough.

[Anonymous]

I visit my family on the west coast 1-2 a year, for about a week at a time. My parents come out 3ish times a year, for long weekends. We visit the ILs on the other side of the world every 2 years, for 2+ weeks at a time.

My siblings and I will tag on an extra day or two to an existing trip to specifically visit each other, if we have reason to be in a nearby city.

We spend all of our vacation time and funds on visiting family, and I'm not sure that's how we want to continue. We may cut back.

[Anonymous]

We live in the mountain west now (used to live in DC). Both families live in PA/NY and we visit twice a year. We will likely cut back to once a year soon since my job will be changing in the near future and I just won't have enough time off to do it twice. We're lucky if we get either set of parents to visit us once a year so we really don't feel too bad about cutting down the frequency on our end.

[Anonymous]

We live in DC and visit my West Coast family at least once a year and alternate Christmases. My parents also fly out to visit about twice a year. I'd love to travel out there more often, but it's a long trip. In the interim, we talk on the phone weekly and Skype sometimes.

[Anonymous]

We moved to the Midwest from the DC area last year. I'm from Baltimore and DH is from upstate NY. My family is very close with DS, and we actually see them about once a month. They usually come to visit us, but we've gone to visit them several times.

We used to visit DH's family 3-4 times a year, but MIL's health has made those visits less frequent. FIL has come to visit us a few times. I wish DS had a relationship with my ILs like he has with my family. (We do visit DH's extended family in CA once or twice a year, so that helps.)

[Anonymous]

Op here. So it seems like my visits are just as frequent as everyone else here. My parents haven't visited often, but I suppose that would help solve the issue. I am like one of the PP's, I don't like using my vacation time for family visits. However, I am lucky as I have accrued about a month of vacation time due to my tenure with my employer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I moved to Chicago for work after growing up in DC and going to college there as well. I only visit twice a year. I'm starting to think about coming home more(once a season perhaps). But flights can be so expensive. I have teenage step siblings who I love and adore and would love to see them more often. I have a pretty good relationship with my parents as well, although my brother, mom, and stepfather have bad financial habits, so it causes a bit of strain in our relationship(hence a big reason why I moved so far away). I did consider moving to Philadelphia or NYC area to be closer, as I am 30 and want to start a family soon. But things are going pretty well here and I am very happy minus my career.

We do three times a year to his family and three times to mine. His parents stay with us twice a year. Lots of social media and skype in between.

[Anonymous]

My husband visits his mom once a year. She lives in the middle east.

I think family is really important. And it's great you want to foster those relationship with your siblings. And, to me at least, it "does" mean even more when you have kids. I really try to foster my son's relationships with his aunts and uncles, on both continents, and we try to fly some of them out to our house once a year (rotating basis).

Do what you can and what you want. But it might also be a good move to save a little for long-term travel out there, when you "do" have kids. In other words, keep it twice a year now with the intent of going a little more when you have kids. Or flying out a sibling here or there to visit you.