Friendships with family are not always easy

Your family members might be some of your closest friends, but all too often, they can become bitter enemies, or at least far from friendly. We often find that we treat our family members poorly, and as a result, real friendships with family members can be difficult, strained, or stressful.

We sometimes treat our family poorly. This is a fact, but it does not make it right.
Why we do this:
Too close. When you have at your disposal an arsenal of knowledge about what someone does, who they are, what makes them tick, and probably the most dangerous, what their insecurities are, it is easy to cross lines and boundaries. Why? Because we may not even realize we are crossing them. When someone is family, you know so much about them, that hurting them is an easy task. You can pin point their weaknesses, and prey on them quickly and easily.
Too easy. Family is easy to prey on, and hard to be friends with because you are around them, you have to share everything with them, they know your secrets, and you theirs. Thus, it is easy to treat them bad because the opportunities are ample, and the ammunition ample as well.
Expect unconditional forgiveness. Often, we do not gauge the severity of our words or actions as we would with a friend because we have this expectation of unconditional forgiveness because it is family. Family is stuck together, and so we lapse into thinking that it doesn't matter how we treat them, they are stuck with us anyway.
Being friends with your family members can make life a lot more enjoyable, and make life easier. One should always strive to build good, happy relationships with their family, and make those bonds as close as family should be, and as fun and desired as friendships.
Imagine how much better the time you spend with family over holidays, weekends, and the other times through out the year, would be if you were surrounded by friends? It is a good thing to think about. You may not be able to choose your family, or the additions that come to it through marriage and birth, but you can choose whether or not you will make the most of the situation, or make it hard on yourself.
You would not willingly spend hours in the company of people you do not consider friends if you could help it, so why make it any different with family? Why not build friendships with them, the same way you do with others, by talking, sharing experiences, looking for common ground, etc.
Being friends with family members is not always easy. You are more vulnerable because they know more about you. It can be difficult because chances are there are things about them that drive you crazy, and you would not pick in a friend. However, they probably feel the same way about you. So, get over it, and become friends with your family. It is well worth it.