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Do you think that living in too close proximity to family (or friends) will negatively impact your relationship with them?

Can spending too much time together become harmful to the relationship?
Interesting Question? Yes (1) No (0)
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Marked as Best! October 23, 2009 05:33 PM
Not necessarily. I live pretty close to my parents, but I probably see them once a week or less, because we're both busy. We plan to have dinner together on a regular basis, and that seems to work out well for everyone. It's nice to be close in case something comes up, you need someone, etc., but I don't think close proximity automatically means you're going to be around each other nonstop.

If you have relatives or friends who tend to just drop by without notice, and they do that frequently, I can definitely see it being a problem. In those situations, I think you need to gently set some boundaries, like asking them to call first, or setting a weekly dinner/coffee with them so its more structured, but then again, some people don't mind.

I think if you have kids, it's a pretty ideal situation, because kids definitely benefit from a network of caring adults, and being able to see their relatives and family friends often. Boundaries may be necessary there as well, but I would love to raise kids around a lot of loved ones.

As for being able to spend too much time with people, I think it just depends upon the quality of your relationship. Some people can be glued to the hip and always happy, and some relationships are great but need some space. I think you can have either type living near someone.
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October 23, 2009 08:31 PM
yes because no matter how much you love them , they still can get on your
nerves ,we are all human. it happens and it can cause confusion .
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October 24, 2009 02:48 AM
In certain cases, yes. Sometimes when people spend too much time together they start to get over-critical, but when they spend some time apart they focus more on simply enjoying each other's company when then can. Also, if the relationship has a little bit of abrasion here and there, the time apart tends to be enough to fix it so all is well the next time they meet.
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October 24, 2009 02:26 PM
It depends. My grandmother lived next door to us and she would watch our home with binoculars. She also used her proximity to control all of us. We had to go to her home when she called us. Sometimes, the reasons were ridiculous - kill this spider, taste this sticky bun, tell me if this milk smells funny. . . She also felt like she could barge in any time or remove things she wanted from our yard whenever she pleased. It was stressful.

I, for one, am very happy that we live a state away from my husband's family. You've probably heard that absence makes the heart grow fonder. Well, when you live with a little distance, you get the advantage of dealing with one another in small bite-sized portions.
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October 24, 2009 04:05 PM
Yes, based on my experience with my brother and sister-in-law living near them created a negative impact in our relationship with them.

When my husband was offered a stable job where my brother and his family lived we transferred to that city. They offered the house they just assumed right in front where they lived and had it leased to us. We grab the chance for it is difficult to find a house in a safe neighborhood to rent in a big city which is close to where my husband works. And I thought it is advantageous for I will be living near my brother's family.

But sad to say conflicts arise. I was confused on whether to become an obedient sister or to listen to my husband. The conflict started when my brother and his wife tried to suggest on how we should carry on in our lives. At first I tried to heed their suggestions but it created conflict between me and my husband. My sister who is a guidance counselor told me that I should prioritize my family and the decisions of my husband to preserve our relationship. And besides as long as we know what is best for us then my brother and his wife has no right to dictate on what we should and should not do.

Good thing though, they decided to immigrate to another country and live there. For now we constantly keep in touch with each other by chatting online, sending email, and through phone calls. I can say that our relationship started to improve when they moved far from us.
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October 26, 2009 11:42 PM
No, because i stay about 10 minutes from my sister, uncle, and grandparents and it does not negatively impact our relationship. Everyone has there own lives and are somethings to busy to impact someone elses life.
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