Sibling Age Gap

twinkletoes3126 · December 2013

How far apart in age are you and your siblings? Are you close?

I am not anywhere near ready for another baby, but I keep hearing that I should have them close in age so they are close growing up. So I am just curious if this has any truth to it.

ccam · December 2013

I have 3 siblings - one sister is 2 years younger, a brother who is 5 years younger and another sister who is 9 years younger. Lately, I've been closest with my youngest sister. Throughout life, it has changed from one sibling to another. But we are all pretty close and at this point in life, the number of years doesn't really matter.

thepretzelchick · December 2013

My brother is 3 years older than me. For us, it's always been perfect. DS and 2.0 will be 16 months apart. My nephew and his sibling due this summer will be 6 years apart.

I think age difference depends on both the kids and the parents. Some parents can handle 2u2, some like them spread out more. Some kids get along better with siblings really close in age, while others get along better with siblings further apart, especially into adulthood. There's no magic number that applies for every family, and usually there's no magic moment when you just know that it's time for another one.

So, I'm no help.

britvahok · December 2013

My sister and I are 3 years apart. SO and his brothers are 7 and 10 years apart. My sister and I are very close, BFFs. Growing up with fought all the time but now we're extremely close. SO and his brothers aren't as close and he says that he felt like they were more like his parents than sibling. I would like for DS and his sibling to be 3-4ish years apart.

cedenton · December 2013

3.5 years (he's older)...I wouldn't say close, but I wouldn't say not close, either. Closer to close.

DH and his sister are more like 4 years apart. VERY not close. But that's because she was a devil child and ruined his childhood (even his mother agrees) and he just can't get past it.

drunkindonuts · December 2013

3 and 5 years apart. Not close growing up, but close now that we're older

rjacques · December 2013

My brother, sister and I are all 2 years apart (37, 35 and 33(me)). We were pretty close growing up but are definitely closer now that we are older.

When my LO is born there will be 23 months in between my kids.

sdlaura · December 2013

I think the are pros and cons to any age gap. My sister and I are 2.5 years apart and are close. It was fun to be in high school for one year together (we are 3 years apart in school). Our kids will be just under 18 months apart - closer than we would have planned if we could plan it exactly, but we had so much trouble having our daughter that we didn't want to wait too long to try again. The baby we're expecting will have health problems and have to be in the hospital, so one pro of them being so close in age is that DD won't really realize what's going on and won't be old enough to be worried about her little brother.

lynde129 · December 2013

My brother is 4 years younger then me. We fought like crazy when we were younger until he hit HS, and I hit college then we got progressively closer as we got older/ matured. Granted we also worked together since he turned 16. We have both worked at the same grocery store- me part time and him practically full time until he decided to go back to college this past fall. Therefore we had a lot in common!

It was extremely helpful for him when he dropped out of college twice for me to be there for him (my parents were not happy with him- but I convinced them that if he had no idea what he was in school for, he had no reason to be going and wasting money!)

I also have a step brother and step sister that are practically 20 years older then me from my dads first marriage and although we were closer when I was younger- I see them maybe 2-3x a year now.

SJandVA · December 2013

I have one brother 2 years younger and one brother 10 years younger. I am close to both. The brother 2 years younger and I fought all the time as kids.

rp-chicago-mom · December 2013

We're three years apart and super close.

piphigirl · December 2013

Six years apart and never been close. More like I was her babysitter than her sister. We're also very different people.

vic8504 · December 2013

My sister and I are almost 4yrs apart. We were pretty close while growing up but still had our fights. We grew apart more once she was in high school but once I was in college we started getting closer again. Wouldn't say best friends but close.
DH and his brother are 3yrs apart and are not very close. They will do some things together but hardly ever talk unless at a family get together.

rMe6411 · December 2013

Our kids are 6 years apart and the newest set will be 21 months apart. My older brother and I were 4 years apart and we were close. My younger brother and I were 7 years apart and I still feel like his mom. I'm 24 and he is 17. I wanted to try to have mine super close so *hopefully* they will be best friends!

BatDaughter4Eva · December 2013

I have a big gap between some of my siblings.

There's 2 or 3 years between my two oldest sisters. 8 years until my older brother was born. Ten years between my older brother, and me/my twin brother.

mrs mosby · December 2013

There are 3 of us in my family and we are all 4 years apart. My older brother and I were not close growing up but my younger brother and I were super close. I feel like it's more about personality rather than spacing. Now, as adults we all get along but I wouldn't say any of us are very close.

My girls are 15 months apart. It's been good for the most part but I definitely wouldn't do it again.

chefnicole22 · December 2013

I have 2 younger sisters that are 3 and 7 years younger than me. We are all extremely close! I think it creeps most people out how well we get along.

PaisleyRuth · December 2013

My sister is 2.5 years older than I am (2 grades in school). We are fairly close now, but were not close growing up. Very different personalities.

Maizey06 · December 2013

I really think it varies by people. My brother and I are 2 years apart. We get along and see each other, mostly because his wife is awesome about family stuff. I would not consider us close.

DH and his brother are 14 months apart. The get along fine but they are not super close. They are 41 and 40 and they still fight like 5 year olds sometimes.

alake · December 2013

Sister: 35
Brother: 33
Me: 30
I am close to my sister, but when I was younger, was never close to my brother. We have gotten closer in the last few years, since he became a dad, then we ever were.

austenfan919 · December 2013

I'm 28. Middle sister is 25. Youngest is 23.

I would say I am reasonably close to them, for living a couple states away. We aren't BFFs, but we get along and chat at least once a month and see each other several times a year.

My sisters are each other's BFFs, but I don't know if that is an age thing or a personality thing. They definitely grew closer to each other while I was off at college and they were still home. But maybe it would have happened eventually anyway.

ETA: I am a little closer to my middle sister now, but I don't know if that is because we are closer in age or not.

BatDaughter4Eva · December 2013

Oh, and I'm closest with my younger older sister. Lol. She's 18 years older than me, but we talk basically every day.

jessalynn521 · December 2013

I am 3.5 yes older than my brother who is 3.5 years older than my sister. So 7 years between my sister and I. I love my sister but I was never close to her. My boys are just shy of 12 months apart. We will see.

NeneCakies · December 2013

My sister and I are 14 months apart. Totally different personalities growing up and we shared a room so we would fight, naturally. But my mom spoiled and favored her as the youngest and prettiest which fostered some major long term resentment between us. (This is not my imagination, the favoritism was blatant to everyone).

Worse yet my sis turned into an entitled brat, quit community college, became a Hooters waitress, did drugs and crashed with random friends. She thought I was a prude because I did the exact opposite. Obvs, we had zero in common and rarely spoke. For years.

Then she settled down and started a family. She started calling and after a lot of growing up, she and I became friends. We talk almost every day. We live far apart but someday she'd like to move back here so our kids can know each other and be close.

I think with the small age gap you can expect sibling rivalry but we would have been ok sooner if not for our toxic environment.

millerhomelife · December 2013

I am 13 years younger than my sister. I don't have many memories of her when I was younger because she went off to college when I was in kindergarten. BUT as I am older, we are very close! Because of the large age gap we got to skip over all of the fighting and arguing and really get to enjoy a relationship as grown adults!

Peppa54 · December 2013

Nobadwriting my girls are 2.5 apart but three school years - how many we're you guys?

fastcarsandfreedom3319 · December 2013

I have 2 younger sisters, one 2 yrs, the other is 8 yrs younger. My middle sister and I were really close but fought a lot as a result when we were teens. We didn't have the same group of friends but we played together when it was just us. My youngest sister and I never had much in common but now that she is maturing, we can talk more and hang out. My middle sister and I are much closer now that we are both moms, and she was a big reason why I moved back, so our kids could grow up close to each other (they are 1 yr apart).

zbeesma86 · December 2013

My sister and I are 15 months apart.

Growing up we got along, for the most part

As little kiddos we had our moments- played well together and such. Had our moments of fighting over toys and whatnot.

In middle school and high school we fought like sisters over clothes and drama at school.

Now we are close and talk everyday!

I have those bouts to of having another baby so Z will have a playmate/someone to grow up with. Part of me worries she will have this 'only child syndrome' and I need to give her sibling so she doesn't grow up to be a brat! Then I worry that she will HATE having a sibling. That she will hate us for bringing another baby in the house. We still debate and discuss this. Maybe start trying when she's 2?

Jessica Swanlake · December 2013

I am the middle kid- my sisters are 2 years older and 5 years younger. We are great now, but growing up my older sister and I had some real issues - mostly stemming from having to share very limited resources and my mom's limited time. We could not stand each other.

My girls are 14, 9 and 15 mo. (we started our pack early) and they get along great- the older two worship their little sister. I think it is more about individual personalities and your circumstances at the time rather than age gaps. If a child feels secure then there is no need for jealousy.

rainedrops117 · December 2013

I have a sister who's 13 mos older and another 11 mos younger. We. Are. Close. And I love it. Then my patents decided to have two more in their older age and so I have a baby sis and baby brother who are close in age to my older kids. And they are close. The irony...

Reilly626 · December 2013

I kind of lucked out with twins as they are each other's buddy already. My bro and I were 18 months apart and it was too close- we were very competitive and still are. 3 or more years is best in my opinion.

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