The statement still remains. It's not because they are not your favorite people that they aren't your family all of the sudden. Your mom by birth is and stays

The statement still remains. It's not because they are not your favorite people that they aren't your family all of the sudden. Your mom by birth is and stays your mom. They can be replaced, but there won't be another "mom" in the blood bound sense. There can be less than optional cases concerning social issues, it doesn't mean it is not true. If you break with a friend, as everyone here has done. It is a lot easier as there is no recurring encounters ( edge-cases here apply ofc) TLDR: A lot of people seem to misinterpret social issues, while I meant the blood bound of my comment. The family ( in that sense) stays, the relation can go bad, ofc. As is the same with friends, but the family relation isn't disappearing. Example: People are more intrigued to see their birth father/mother, which is perfectly possible they have never seen and have been replaced. There is no factual social relation, but it was and is their parent/family. Example 2: You are still going to visit your family although you don't have a deep relation with them anymore. That's perfectly fine and actually affirms my statement. If one of your closest relationships suddenly has children and his priorities could change. It's perfectly possible that your relation will lessen over a 2-year period ( eg. His wife is always joining and you don't have deep conversations anymore, so you meet him less, ...). Ps. If you want to challenge the statement. Who else are you visiting outside of your family because of "respect" :) . Do you do something similar for a friend/acquaintance? :) Or if you would have money problems. Would you stay at your parents or your friends place as last resort. Who would you ask first/feel most comfortable with asking? :) ( Edge-cases are possible ofc)