I am really upset by some things going on in my family. I have always been "close" with my immediate family but now that I am older, I am realizing that we really don't know each other all that much and do not truly communicate. Everyone has started their own families now so perhaps that is common?

Anyways, I also have recently become aware of the fact that neither of my parents keep in much contact (if any) with their siblings. And any time that others have drama, they push them away. So, now they are all each other has and, I think, prefer it that way.

However, a recent family party (for my aunt) has come up and because of past history with her own family (divorce, drama, etc) my mom is refusing to go. My first instinct was not to go either because it is far away and I am not really close with them and they are a wild bunch. So now my Gram is convinced that the family is falling apart because none of us get together or talk all that much anymore (like we did when we always got together when we were little).

So I am torn because while I don't want to feel like I have to go, I am concerned to watch my mom be so introverted and not want to associate with her own family. And then I start to wonder if that is what is happening with my own immediate family. I rarely talk to or see my brothers but we are all so busy- we try to do family dinners about once a month. But I don't know what to think. Is this the way of family once we get older and become adults?

I don't know if I should mention my concerns to my mom and let her knwo that I am worried about her and our family relations or just try harder myself? But then again, we don't really have that sort of open communication between the two of us so it would be akward and would only make her more uncomfortable.