Member-only story
Spending Time with Siblings and their Families is Necessary for Personal Growth
How often do you meet them?
Those who know me well know that I love to travel and get together with people. However, I could feel the anxiety setting in before my trip to meet up with my siblings and their families. My children were missing their cousins, and a family reunion was long overdue.
A lot has changed since the last time we all came together eight years ago—my relationship status changed from married to divorced to in a relationship. As a result, the group dynamics have changed. There is one person less from the original crew (my ex-husband), and 50% of the children are now adults.
While I was excited for my children to hang out with their cousins, I was apprehensive about hanging out with the large group. My brothers’ emotional unavailability was not new to me. I knew what to expect: the same old surface-level conversations and jokes about events from the past that left everyone laughing.
Don’t get me wrong—I can always use some light-hearted chatter, and in fact, I enjoy it. But with age, I’ve come to demand more from my relationships, wanting deeper connection, vulnerability, and honesty. My brothers are limited in their ability to connect at a deeper level.
