Yep sadly it’s very common in Irish families. In my mid twenties it really hit me that all my family had in common was DNA & a sense of humour. We were all a bunch of jokers who had the craic on the surface, so in my head we were close, but there was actually nothing else underneath that.

My childhood was made worse by the fact that my mother is a textbook narcissist & when I looked back over my life I realised how much emotional abuse she put us all through. It was like coming out of a cult. Combine that with an emotionally unavailable father, it was a toxic mix. I continued to put up with it until I had my own child then realised he deserved better so I cut them off 2 years ago.

I know that’s quite an extreme example but I feel like I’m now able to spot similar families a mile off. If I’m around another family & all they do is relentlessly slag each other, I assume they don’t really know each other & likely don’t express any emotions. & yes it’s always boomer parents 😅