i just realised that its actually nearly 6 weeks since i have actually seen any of my family. yea - we spoke on the phone etc but didnt realise it was so long since i was physically in their company.

do poeple make an effort to see their family on a regular basis if they are living away from home or is every few weeks enough. is it important to actually see them or is phone, email, social sites sufficient contact. ?

really good topic actually......this is somethin which always stresses me out...i love me family bit we are all fairly spread out in both geography and age.sometimes i find that no matter how deeply i care about them and love them as people their lives are so different from my own that we dont have a lot in common and so we see each other less and less.facebook is great for the odd with of non commital kind of contact i find

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As a child, I wondered why an RTE newsreader was in this.

I have a close family. we always see each other.

I see mine alot.

I wont see mine till hell freezes over, dont want to either, Ever!

There are some of my siblings that I haven't seen or heard from in over a decade and I'm quite ok with that. I'd see my brothers every few months, they text me when they need me though (usually at about 2am).

Sometimes i could go months without wanting to see them, sometimes i call over twice a week. I would like to have an easier relationship than i do with my family but i can live with the way things are.

I go home once a month for about 24 hours to see the parents and let them know I'm alive. Other than that I don't really seem them.

My sister lives about a 20 min drive from me and I have no desire to see her or hang out with her...the fact that she is having a baby soon probably means my mam will 'talk' me into going over to her and minding the baby and what not...

I try get home as much as I can. Facebook is great for staying in contact and skype saves a fortune in phone bills

Our family ties carry our family crest,but we don't like to talk about it,did I mention our family ties and our fabulous crests BTW ?

Actually my mother, brothers, random aunts, uncles and cousins are on facebook, that's where we do most of our catching up. Most of my family is in England, so it's easier that way, I do try and make it to my Grandmothers at least once a year. So I suppose I'm closer to them than I'd think. Well the ones I talk to.

it always amazes me at funerals, when we all meet the distant aunts, uncles, cousins and the same topic or a family reunion always surfaces - but never happens. i like to see my immediate family every few weeks but as for aunts, uncles, cousins - then i'm not really too bothered - its usually weddings/funerals.

heres the butters family overseas collection :

I see my brother almost every day because I live with him and my sister about twice a week. I don't have a great relationship with my Dad. I see him about once a month - sometimes less.