I am invisible.

[AutumnDae]

Like the title says, I am invisible. My sisters hardly talk to me, unless they want a.) money b.) food or c.) shoes. I don't have anything in particular that I would like to talk to them about, but you know a "Hey, what's up? How was your day?" every once in a while wouldn't be so bad. One of my brothers hardly talks to me either, except when he needs the bathroom or the computer. And the other brother talks to me, about t.v and video games, while I attempt to look interested.

My parents? They talk, when they want something done. "Autumn, will you start dinner?" "Autumn, will you run the vacuum?" "Autumn, can you help me clean up my office?" "Autumn, why don't you come outside and help me for a while."

Why doesn't my family talk to me? Am I that horrible to talk to? Something wrong with me? I rode in a car for almost half an hour, just with my mom today, and the only words she said to me were "You changed my radio station, I was listening to that."

I want some recognition for the stuff I do. I hardly ever get a "Thanks. I really appreciate it."

When I lend stuff to my sisters or make them food they give me a "*grunt that sort of sounds like a thanks*"

Ugh. I hate this. Stupid Middle Child Syndrome.

Too eager to please. Although I don't please them. "Mom, I got a 98 on the Bio test today." "Yea, that's good. Alex did awesome on his report card. He improved all his grades.Yadda Yadda Yadda." "Mom, all the laundry is done, dinner is in the oven and the house is vacuumed." "Oh. I have so much to do. The lawn isn't mowed, the car needs oil, my dresser drawers need cleaning out."

Alright, my rant is over.

[Bobby]

Well, maybe if you reach out and try to talk to them more they will reach back out to you. What are their interests? Even if they don't match your's, try to talk to your family about them cause it will show you care about them. As far the "not being thanked issue" that's just the way some people are. Unnapreciative. The best I can tell you is to try and influence them by saying thankyou to them.

[AutumnDae]

Well, maybe if you reach out and try to talk to them more they will reach back out to you. What are their interests? Even if they don't match your's, try to talk to your family about them cause it will show you care about them. As far the "not being thanked issue" that's just the way some people are. Unappreciative. The best I can tell you is to try and influence them by saying thank you to them.


I have tried to reach out. I just know nothing about any of their interests and can't pay attention when they talk about them. My brothers are into video games, but I a.) have no desire to talk about them and b.) don't really care if I talk to them more or not. My dad is into nothing really. I ask him a simple question and he talks for an hour.

I say thank you to all my family, every day, for the smallest things. They thank everyone else, just not me. I don't really know why.

[Bobby]

Well, Autumn, you're in a tough spot. You can't force your family to talk to you, and you can't force yourself to like them. You're not fighting with them are you? It's not like it's unlivable? I would hope you have friends you can talk to....cause I think you are like me, you can't stand to be quiet :P

[AutumnDae]

I've never fought with my family. Small arguments when someone is in a bad mood, sure, but never fought.

I mean, at a night at the dinner table while everyone is sitting there, I'm only talked to when someone needs something that is near me. Any other times, the conversation goes on like I'm uh, invisible. Like I'm not sitting there or something.

[Bobby]

Are they ignoring you? Or are you just not partaking in the conversation because it's not what you like?

[AutumnDae]

They aren't really ignoring me. We don't really talk about anything in particular, just whatever happened that day. I don't partake because every time I say a word someone interrupts me. Like I'm not there. I don't know if that is ignoring.

[Bobby]

It's just really being rude. Can you try and stand up for yourself? Or tell them that you don't like being spoken over? Maybe they don't realize how distanced you feel.

[AutumnDae]

I used to say "Okay, you can talk now. How about next time I finish the sentence?", and then would get some dirty looks. Like I was the one who interrupted someone in the first place.

My family isn't really the type of family that I can sit down and have a little family meeting to tell them about this.

[MrPinnick17]

You know, we all take too much for granted. My mom talks to me so much about work, the latest gossip, whatever and I try to listen and seem interested. I know it hurts her as I start to walk away and she continues talking to me. I guess I should be thankful she wants to share this with me.

My dad on the other hand doesn't really talk to me, a simple hello is about it. We're all changing and life gets confusing. We're so wrapped up in our day to day routines, our friends, or jobs we sometimes forget to acknowledge the ones that love us most. I agree with Bobby about reaching out first. Talk with your mom about some stuff, like maybe some celebrity gossip... She's your mom you know what's she's into.

Maybe play a video game with your brother that you both like. You might be able to rent something from blockbuster or something for cheap, ask one of your sisters to watch a movie with you, bond with them.

The worst that could happen is you growing away from your family, it happens to all of us though. As we get older we have so much to worry about but just remember that your family was there in the beginning, and even though they may not act like it, they're there for you now.

Don't let yourself get interrupted, you have the right to be heard just as much as everyone else does and sometimes in families you've got to fight to be heard.

[Bobby]

I don't think it needs to be said at a family meeting - but the scene of the crime. The dinner table.

[AutumnDae]

Haha, that made me :). I could try that, next time we eat dinner together as a family. Although that might be....Thanksgiving? Christmas Eve? Christmas? Now that school is going to be starting soon we will all have crazy schedules.

[MrPinnick17]

Sometimes it's life as a family. At least try to sit down once and have one of those good ole family sessions we're you talk about old times and laugh. Your all going in different directions but it would be nice if at least once you could all be going the same way.

My family is so broken up, I feel alone most of the time, like if I didn't have my friends what would I have. I live with my dad, he's never home, always traveling or working and I never know where he is. Just be happy your all together.

[byee]

Autumn, FWIW, you're hardly invisible, around here, anyway. You clearly have gotten my attention, you have some very special, unique qualities. I think your family is missing out on a lot!

I also think that families get caught up in themselves and tend to get involved in daily life to the exclusion of connecting with, or otherwise appreciating eachother. family members tend to take eachother for granted, I think it comes from being just so familiar with eachother that they 'forget' they need to stop and sometimes say or do the obvious. I'm not sure about this, but all those other neat qualities you have must have come from something good within your family, so it's not like they're damaged people. Maybe they're just too caught up.

I wonder what would happen if you spoke with them with the same maturity and reasonableness that you do here. If you told them what was on your mind and how you felt? I wonder what would happen if you made them aware of what was going on and how it affected you? Can you try?

[Littleman]

If you want someone to talk to ill talk whenever im here i love to talk to people and i went though the same situation a about a year ago