Reply to How common is it to see large families that are completely estranged/very distant from each other

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[quote=Anonymous][quote][b]Large families with 6+ siblings - yes - common.[/b]

Estrangement can be simply disparate ages/stages/geographical distance but also eldest members have completely different relationship and upbringing than younger siblings. Often there’s a caretaking role foisted upon older siblings for youngest and that breeds resentment. Typically youngest gets experience of old/tired/parents who abdicate responsibilities or become dispassionate altogether.

Seems like siblings form alliances and groupings like “oldest boys” or “first two” while the middles to younger are black sheep or non aligned nor particularly close to any siblings.

Ask me how I know! My father was 2nd of 8[/quote]

Your experience is only anecdotal, and the bolded conclusion you drew from it carries exactly zero weight.

I am in my 50s and am one of 7 kids, with 12 years between oldest and youngest.  No kid was ever put in a caretaking role (our parents did that) and our parents were equally involved and invested with each of us. If anything, the youngest kids had more of their energy and attention because there were fewer of them at home by the time the oldest left for college.  We have a grouping, if you can call it that, of boys and girls because the boys sometimes do football weekends, etc.  Siblings are now spread across the country with only one still living near the city where we were raised, and we still talk or text regularly in the phone, our kids know each other though they don’t often see each other, and we all get together every two to three years for weddings, a big trip or yo celebrate a big birthday.

There were several other large families in our neighborhood growing up, and the three that had kids with whom I still kept in touch have similar dynamics to my own family.  Lots of family trips, etc.  I only know one family with the kinds of dysfunction described on this thread, and it consists of only two siblings.[/quote]

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