How many people in your family do you feel close to, or actually talk to on any kind of regular basis?
I only really talk to one aunt, my mother and my brother... is that normal?
I haven't fallen out with anyone else, my mother fell out with my dads side of the family when he died so I don't really see them at all, but I wouldn't feel comfortable calling them up or the rest of my mothers family and speaking to them or anything. I live in another country though so maybe it's because I'd have to make an effort to contact them I'm not going to just bump into them in the street.

What's your experience, how much of your family have you kept close to now that you're grown up?

i'm not close with anyone in my family except my mum and one of my cousins. they're the only ones i actually talk to, anyway. we do go and visit my mum's sister on a semi-regular basis but i wouldn't say i'm close to them. the rest i pretty much hate. i don't really care whether it's normal or not because i reckon every family's fucked up in some way.

oh and this is exactly what happened in my family as well. except she was never on good terms with them, really.

I talk to my mothers side of the family a lot.
I'm not so sure I particularly like them .. and I definatly don't feel close to them.
I've not really talked to my father since he left or his side of the family.

Well, I live with my mum and brother.. I wouldn't say we were particularly close though. My mum likes to think that she's there for me and I can 'tell her anything' but I know for a fact I can't, and she isn't really there for me on an emotional level.. I find it next to impossible to have a deep conversation with her and when I do try to confide in her or whatever, she makes me feel like anything I need to talk about is like silly 'little girl' problems, perhaps they are sometimes..but your mum shouldn't make you feel like that.

My dad on the otherhand, I actually want to spend time with him and enjoy his company.. we can chat as if we're old friends or something

Cousins and grandparents and things I rarely see.. a few times a year, if that. We're all scattered about the country so it's a bit difficult. I guess I could make an effort but I was never really that close to them anyway. Also all my cousins and aunts and uncles on my dads side all live within about 10 minutes of eachother and are really close.. so I feel awkward and out of place whenever I visit them, so I tend not to. It doesn't really bother me though.