Who do you consider your "immediate" family?

[Kitty 34]

When I was growing up I considered just my siblings, parents and grandparents my immediate family.

Of course now I consider my DH, our parents and our sons our immediate family. Are our siblings and their families considered immediate family or just extended?

 

[MAKmom]

Parents & minor children that is it.

 

[JunieJay]

I think of my immediate family as my husband and sons. It might be because my parents and my inlaws are all dead, but when they were alive I think I thought of them as extended family. Definately siblings are extended family, grandparents too.

 

[disykat]

Only my husband and children. I consider my parents and siblings extended family now. I fully expect my children will think of me the same way when/if they have their own families.

It doesn't mean I love my parents any less, but they are not part of the unit for which our immediate family decisions are made. Immediate family, IMO, are those that affect pretty much all decisions about how our time/money is spent and how we prioritize our lives. Generally it is who lives in your household.

 

[BoyLovesBuzz]

Once you become a parent, your parents and siblings become extended.

 

[WonderfulDreamer2]

Hmmm, I've always considered DH,my parents, DH's parents, siblings and children as immediate family. And most doctors do too. When they ask if "you or your immediate family have or have had any of the following" they want to know about parents and siblings more than your husband and children...looking for family history of things such as cancer, mental illness, etc.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My DH and 2 kids.

Extended family is everyone else.

Now if I lived with them, I might consider them immediate family.

So basically I guess I am saying your immediate family are the people you live with.

 

[ThreeAngels]

Ditto to everything disykat said! Just my husband and kids.

 

[aynt79]

I consider my immediate family to be: DH and family members that start at my maternal grandmother: i.e. my grandmother, my mom, my 2 uncles (mom's brothers), and my two uncles direct family (their wives and kids/grandkids). I guess I consider them to be immediate because we spend most holidays and other occasions together. We are probably closer than most other families of the same dynamic. It helps that they (everyone but me) live in the same small town. But I think my grandmother is the center of the family, so after she is gone I don't know if it will be completely the same. My extended family are those we might see at major weddings or funeral, or say hi to if we saw them around town, but that's about it.

My father's side of the family isn't in the picture, and I don't even want to get into the in-laws

 

[mommasita]

My husband and my children, my mother and father. I would say my sister, but who knows if she is even still with us...

 

[disykat]

Hmmm, I've always considered DH,my parents, DH's parents, siblings and children as immediate family. And most doctors do too. When they ask if "you or your immediate family have or have had any of the following" they want to know about parents and siblings more than your husband and children...looking for family history of things such as cancer, mental illness, etc.

I see your point, but don't you think that immediate biological family for medical records is quite different than just "immediate family" in a general setting? It'd be pretty sad if someone didn't consider their spouse, adopted children, etc. "immediate family" because they aren't biologically tied to them!

 

[JimB.]

Parents & minor children that is it.

ditto

 

[WonderfulDreamer2]

I see your point, but don't you think that immediate biological family for medical records is quite different than just "immediate family" in a general setting? It'd be pretty sad if someone didn't consider their spouse, adopted children, etc. "immediate family" because they aren't biologically tied to them!

Of course spouse and kids of any kind. Being a nurse I guess "immediate family" to me has always included my parents and siblings as well as DH and my step daughter. Just because I got married didn't suddenly make my mom and dad and sister less important in a general sense for social settings or anything else.

 

[rascalmom]

My dh and dd's. Even though one is in college now and not a minor any longer, I still consider her immediate family - and will until she starts a family of her own.

I consider my parents, grandparents, and dh's mom and sister to be "close" family.

Dh's step-brothers and all of our assorted aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. - extended family.

 

[Micca]

Immediate family is DW and DDs. Next up would be sibling (I have 1 bro/1 sis) and parents (they are all gone).

 

[mickeyboat]

DH and my kids. My siblings are extended, although they were immediate when I was growing up.

 

[powellrj]

we have wondered this for sometime. Both of our companies have contests that give out wonderful prizes. We have always told our parents and siblings that they can't win, but to be honest, I am really not sure.

 

[Crankyshank]

DH, my parents, and my siblings.

 

[MoniqueU]

My husband,kids, mom and MIL.