For me, the pros are that all the family dysfunction and drama are at an arms length.

Cons are that is harder to visit and it's hard to be there for each other with people actually need help.

Anonymous wrote:It makes for some pretty adventurous meet-ups. But it is often a problem when time zones are misaligned. For instance, my brother and I are close but live in time zones 12 hours different. But we find our way.

I really enjoyed being 12 hours off from my parents! I called them before work or right before bed. 6 hours was the worst — someone was always at work or sleeping.

Anonymous wrote:It’s gotten much better now with WhatsApp.

+1.

I have a sister on snother continent. I have seen her twice in the last 20 years, but talk to her on whatsApp several times a week. I saw her this year, and it felt like I see her everyday.

Anonymous wrote:If all of your relatives and in-laws are in different states or countries than you, how do you feel about it? What are the pros and cons compared to having family in town?

I mostly feel fine about it. It stings when I see pics on social media of them all celebrating a holiday together and I'm not there, but that's life. Other than that, it's totally fine by me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can understand this happening with immigrant families, and I respect that. It’s the price one has to pay for the sake of better opportunity.

But for Americans who aren’t recent immigrants who wear their scattered families as badges of honor, like it’s a good thing? I’ll never understand that.

Agree, although most people I know dislike being away from family. You really miss out on so much.

Yea I don’t know anyone who treats it like a badge of honor, except people who don’t particularly care for them families and are just happy to have miles between them. I know plenty of people who are happy where they live, and prefer it to where their family lives, but they still wish family were closer. I’m one of those people!

I'm much older than my cousins so it wasn't a very close bond and after decades, it doesn't feel like we can bond even if lived nearby. I wouldn't want to live near one of my sisters because as loving and caring as she is, she is super annoying and even if I'll tolerate it, probably it would creat issues for my DH and grown kids.

Anonymous wrote:I can understand this happening with immigrant families, and I respect that. It’s the price one has to pay for the sake of better opportunity.

But for Americans who aren’t recent immigrants who wear their scattered families as badges of honor, like it’s a good thing? I’ll never understand that.

Agree, although most people I know dislike being away from family. You really miss out on so much.