Hey!
I don’t know where to ask this question but I think I will give it a shot here, under men.
I never was close with my brother but we saw each other every few months at parties, festivals etc. Two years ago his wife and him got a son and at that time I was planning so many things (new job, house construction planning) so I only made it like once a month to him. He lives about 32 kilometers one way from my home, so not too far and too close for me.
Now a half a year ago our house finally came and we have to do all the indoor work (framing construction, drywalls, everything.) and I have no time to visit him. If I do find time I could visit him I choose to play video games to relax or simpley do nothing.
He never asked to help me with my house and I still visit him once every 2 months and give his son presents but I just don’t have the energy to visit him.
It’s kind of a weird relationship. We don’t dislike each other. My mother visits him every monday but they never talk with each other. My mom gets ignored by him and if he talks it’s mostly begging indirectly for money, clothes, the house… (my mom will own her mothers house when my grandma no longer lives) and he keeps saying: “If only we had a house and not an apartment” etc. so he isn’t asking for the house but my mom feels like he is trying to say he wants the house cause my mom wouldn’t need such a big house for herself.
I told my mom to not give it to him, he never visits her and he never visits my grandma with his child.
I don’t know what to do with my brother. He is older if this changes anything. If I wouldn’t call or write him he wouldn’t - atleast I don’t think so. The longest I haven’t wrote him was three months and he didn’t write in that time or call so I gave up and called him that I am stopping by if he is home. Was there for an hour and left again.
Anytime I feel uncertain about whether I’m talking to relatives “enough”, I remind myself that the phone works both ways.
Do what feels right for you. Families are complicated, and sometimes the only bond we end up sharing is genetic. Maybe it’s his turn to put in the effort, should he choose to.