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Post by mikklynn on Nov 14, 2024 13:37:07 GMT
I am my mom's go-to person in the family. It's so typical eldest daughter syndrome! There are 5 of us kids, but she needs my opinion on everything.
A perfect example would be my sister handles mom's hearing aids. Mom needs new ones, but would not buy them unless my sister called me to make sure it was a good idea! My poor sister. Of course, I told mom whatever sister says is what she should do.
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Post by giatocj on Nov 14, 2024 13:39:58 GMT
Yes, I was (my mom passed in 2022). I was the youngest, but the only daughter, so she came to me for her important needs and financial assistance.
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Post by gar on Nov 14, 2024 13:47:52 GMT
No, but my husband is for his family. His Mum phoned him recently to query something about a payment that her daughter (dh's sister) had made on her behalf when they were together the day before How would he know? He tried to be polite when he said "I don't know anything about it...I wasn't there...why don't you ask sister?"
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Tearisci
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Nov 6, 2018 16:34:30 GMT
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Post by Tearisci on Nov 14, 2024 13:50:58 GMT
My sister is like that in our family. She takes care of most things for my parents because she has the patience of a saint- something I was not blessed with. If there are emergencies, she is the first one any of us call. I like being a backup!
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Nov 14, 2024 13:58:47 GMT
When my parents were alive I was definitely the go-to person to solve problems and get things done. The problem I had with that was I was typically excluded from things UNTIL there were major issues. THEN they would call me and ask me to step in and solve the problems. Most of the time there would have been easier and/or better solutions if they had just involved me from the get go.
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Post by lisacharlotte on Nov 14, 2024 14:14:21 GMT
I was for my mom, who passed in Dec 2019. I also was for my MIL, who passed in Nov 2023. For my MIL it was for very specific things, big and small. She would tell DH during their weekly phone call she needed me to call her. That all started almost 10 years ago when she almost died on a flight home from Europe and was pulled off the plane in Chicago and spent a week in the hospital. DH and I dropped everything and drove to Chicago to stay with her until she could get back to Nashville. I arranged and then escorted her home to Nashville. She was in a wheel chair and on oxygen so couldn't fly alone. That one incident changed our relationship. My husband always said I became the"favorite" child after that. 😆My job was organizing executives lives, so I was the perfect fit. I don't think she understood or respected my career before then. After, I was always the "get it done" person.
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Post by Merge on Nov 14, 2024 14:31:11 GMT
I wasn't for my parents despite being the eldest daughter. I moved too far away for one, and also I was kind of the black sheep of the family. My brother was dad's go-to and my sister was mom's.
I am the go-to person for my husband and children. The keeper of all knowledge, holder of emotional labor, and so forth. Like most women. Yay.
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iowgirl
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Jun 25, 2014 22:52:46 GMT
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Post by iowgirl on Nov 14, 2024 14:41:49 GMT
My sibling was. My siblings are dwindling, my parents are gone. It's pretty sad when I think about it.
If you have a sibling that is that go-to person - do something nice for them to let them know you appreciate what they do. Even if it is just expressing it out loud to them. You never know when that person will be gone, it can happen in the blink of an eye and just wipe the carpet out from under you and your family.
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Post by disneypal on Nov 14, 2024 15:03:00 GMT
Yes, as you said, it sort of comes with being the eldest daughter
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Post by mom on Nov 14, 2024 15:09:17 GMT
Yes, I am and always have been. I’m the youngest child but the only one who lives near them so every decision, appt, or headache gets to become mine.
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Post by padresfan619 on Nov 14, 2024 16:07:14 GMT
I’m the youngest child but the only daughter so yes of course, I am the go to person.
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Post by wordfish on Nov 14, 2024 16:34:13 GMT
Yeah. I'm the youngest of 6, so go figure. I am for my own nuclear family too, I think. I'm quite sure that's something I caused, so here we are anyway.
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The Great Carpezio
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Jun 25, 2014 21:50:33 GMT
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Post by The Great Carpezio on Nov 14, 2024 16:46:34 GMT
I am THE person for my mom. I love her dearly and am glad to be there for her, but she has no one else. I am her "person" and average at least 45 minutes a day talking to her. Actually, I think I can safely say that I average at least an hour a day 70% listening or doing something for her every day. I see her at least once a week and talk to her daily ( a lot more in the summer when I am off work).
I am the go-to person for my teens and DH to some extent as well.
ETA: She does talk to my SIL about once or twice a week--probably less than an hour a week. She doesn't call my brother unless it is "important." My brother does show up about every six weeks or so and takes care of some things around her house.
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Post by paulao on Nov 14, 2024 17:37:34 GMT
Nope. Never was. I am the youngest and therefore knew nothing. 🙄
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Post by hopemax on Nov 14, 2024 17:43:11 GMT
I am an only, so yep, all the time. Even now, my Dad will lose something, in his house, while I live 2500 miles away and ask where it is. Let alone everything else.
DH's family is the opposite on most things. They tell us nothing until we find out later. Like "your Mom's surgery went well." What! The exception is tech help. Phone, computer, etc. Then they call DH.
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Post by stormsts on Nov 14, 2024 17:51:00 GMT
That would be me. I am the oldest and only daughter. On DH side, just has one sister and she is the youngest. She has become that person for their parents. I remind DH all the time to thank her! As my parents are needing me more and more, I think he finally gets what all his sister does for them, as he sees what I am doing for my parents.
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breetheflea
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Jul 20, 2014 21:57:23 GMT
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Post by breetheflea on Nov 14, 2024 18:10:37 GMT
Nope, that's my sister who regularly communicates with both our parents (they're divorced.) My other sister lives across the country and is even less of the go-to than I am. I get jealous of her removed-ness from everything sometimes...
In DH family if any news gets to DH, I will find out months later in a "wait what?"kind of way. DH claims "well I told you that" except he didn't. Less drama for me to worry about I guess.
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leeny
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Jun 27, 2014 1:55:53 GMT
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Post by leeny on Nov 14, 2024 18:15:57 GMT
Yes, oldest of three girls and my father has passed. It's complicated now because my middle sister has terminal cancer and is not available anymore. My youngest sister tends to question everything my mom says or does so they argue often. On one hand at least the lines of communication are open. And my sister and I are good at letting each know if something is up. I try to be open with mom so she will continue to tell me things.
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Post by workingclassdog on Nov 14, 2024 18:25:03 GMT
Actually our mom (it is my sister and me) is really good about dividing up stuff like that. So while I do some things for her, my younger sister does other things. She is 85 and does pretty good on her own, but stuff like ordering from Amazon or online we do for her. Other misc items which usually involves the internet we do for her. Traveling by plane we both have bought her tickets on her behalf. We even sit on the phone while she checks in at the airport. Just in case. So yeah, we are a pretty good team.
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Post by ntsf on Nov 14, 2024 19:14:25 GMT
I am for my dh and my kids. I did 60 % of the work for my dad, but that's because I lived a 1000 miles away and I had a competent brother who lived nearby. I do the day to day, problem solving stuff for my sister with severe mental illness but my brother does the finances and is my back up. he is thankful I can do what I can, as it would drive him nuts. my dh dealt with his mother and dad.. not me. now all parents are gone, and we are trying to leave things in better shape for our kids.
I have always been an organizer of people.. so there you go. things not so much.
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Post by ~summer~ on Nov 14, 2024 20:39:05 GMT
For my parents, yes (though they don’t need much). It’s because I’m the only child that lives near them.
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Post by 950nancy on Nov 15, 2024 3:28:10 GMT
I lost my parents years ago and so I never had that responsibility. My kids are grown and super responsible.My husband is usually pretty self sufficient. I feel pretty fortunate.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Nov 15, 2024 3:41:42 GMT
I’m 7th of 8 and I was for my mom for a lot of things. The older ones were either out of the area or incompetent. The last three of us did the lion’s share of the care.
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snyder
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Post by snyder on Nov 15, 2024 4:30:53 GMT
Not only for my mother, but for my entire family and many friends. If someone needs an answer, they say, "call Debbie". I was also that person at work. Some days I wished my name was not Debbie. lol I truely enjoy helping ohers and doing whatever research is needed to find answers if I do not alreay know.
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caangel
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Jun 26, 2014 16:42:12 GMT
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Post by caangel on Nov 15, 2024 5:34:24 GMT
Oldest of 2 and only daughter.
For my parents, yes, but they don't lean on me much at all. The most recent clear example I could think of was when they needed help getting appointments for the COVID vaccine when it first came out.
I am definitely the go to person for my ILs. My DH is the youngest of 2 boys. BIL's first wife was no one's favorite even though they were together since HS. I think they were together about 15-17 yrs, 10 of which was dating. He and his significant other have been together for maybe 7-10yrs. But she seems to keep all of us at an arms length.
BIL is not as communicative as he used to be which has frustrated all of us but especially my IL. Our kids are the only grandkids and as a SAHM I regularly talk with the ILs more than either of their sons and give them lots of access to the kids. I also have the time and probably more importantly the patience to help them with things or coordinate getting help from others.
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camcas
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Jun 26, 2014 3:41:19 GMT
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Post by camcas on Nov 15, 2024 6:10:02 GMT
Yep- eldest child syndrome here too.
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Post by Neisey on Nov 15, 2024 13:48:22 GMT
Absolutely! Oldest child and only daughter.
Mom called the other week to tell me there was a garter snake in the laundry room. I said “Snake, get out of the house!” And then told her that’s all I can do from 4 hours away and perhaps she should call her neighbor (which she did)
My brothers both check in and then defer to me with any family type stuff. I appreciate their trust but it can get exhausting. Even one SIL reaches out if she has issues with my brother. Mom has recently been diagnosed with dementia so I have taken on a lot more of her financial stuff, house selling, finding new accommodations, etc. and have been keeping my brothers in the loop on any choices/decisions I’m thinking of but when I request input they just agree with me lol. I hope they are really ok with things!
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