Teenage Brother Yet to Call or Acknowledge My 4 mo Baby's Birth

[Anonymous]

This may be a sibling thing. My sister who is six years older actually said no to being in my wedding party. There are some siblings who simply have their own life. My sister and I are now married with children and we barely talk. I would love a closer relationship but there is not much you can do. I would concentrate on you and your new baby.

[Anonymous]

I was a 33 year old childless woman when my brother's wife had a child, first baby in the extended fam, and I thought it was neat but didn't really understand the extent of what a big deal it was. I gave them a present and oohed and aahed at pics, but frankly I was CLUELESS about motherhood, parenting, pregnancy, newborn care.

Then I had a child and kind of regretted how uninvolved of an Aunt I had been all those early years. I just didn't realize.

[Anonymous]

OP I'm going to be honest with you. You sound ridiculous. You want your brother to acknowledge your kids existence, yet you don't acknowledge his. You basically are treating the person your brother wants to be as a loser or not good enough. Who are you to tell him to dream bigger. Get a life. Your brother is building his and if it involves not going to college who gives a crap. Is he a decent human? Does he want to work legally? If yes, love and accept him for who he is. Maybe then your kid would have the uncle you want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was a 33 year old childless woman when my brother's wife had a child, first baby in the extended fam, and I thought it was neat but didn't really understand the extent of what a big deal it was. I gave them a present and oohed and aahed at pics, but frankly I was CLUELESS about motherhood, parenting, pregnancy, newborn care.

Then I had a child and kind of regretted how uninvolved of an Aunt I had been all those early years. I just didn't realize.

This was me too! My brother started having kids when I was about 20. It never occurred to me to call them. In fact, it was assumed he would call me to announce the birth (and he did). But I didn't call them to check up on them or for any of their subsequent kids. Even in my 30s, I felt just like this poster when friends had kids.

Op, a 17yo boy is not going to know he's supposed to call you. In fact, you're the big sister, maybe it's your obligation to call him to say "congrats, you're an uncle!"

[Anonymous]

You know landscaping is a respectable profession. My landscaper has a degree from an ag school. I pay him a small fortune every year....and that is just me, he has plenty of other clients.

You need to not freak out about a 17 year old's boyfriend. It is counterproductive.

[Anonymous]

Honestly I'm in my 30s with my own kids and other people's kids even my niece and nephews aren't that interesting to me, not enough that I'm going to call and chat about them for hours, nor do I expect people to call me and talk to me about my kids for hours or asking how being a mom is going.

Kids are great, but they also are boring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was a 33 year old childless woman when my brother's wife had a child, first baby in the extended fam, and I thought it was neat but didn't really understand the extent of what a big deal it was. I gave them a present and oohed and aahed at pics, but frankly I was CLUELESS about motherhood, parenting, pregnancy, newborn care.

Then I had a child and kind of regretted how uninvolved of an Aunt I had been all those early years. I just didn't realize.