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Bringing Up Bates may highlight the warm relationship enjoyed by Kelly Jo and Gil Bates and their 19 children, but some family followers think the Bates kids have formed cliques. Several family followers note that some of the Bates children appear to maintain close relationships with only some of their siblings, or, at the very least, that’s the way it looks on social media.

Carlin, Erin and Tori Bates seem to be the friendliest with each other

Carlin, Erin, and Tori Bates all appear to maintain a loving relationship. They are the siblings that seem to go out of their way to foster adult friendships with one another. Erin and Carlin, in particular, seem to rely on each other. When Carlin found herself in the hospital shortly after the birth of her daughter, Erin was the sibling she called to come to help her. She and Erin also work together on the family business.

Fans also point out that Gil and Kelly Jo appear to group Carlin, Erin, and Tori together when speaking about their children. One Reddit fan notes that Gil once suggested Josie Bates was far different from the three sisters, in terms of personality. Family followers surmise that Josie and Alyssa share similar personality traits. Alyssa has been outspoken about not enjoying large crowds of people. Family followers believe Josie is the same, and because of her personality, she failed to fit in with Carlin, Erin, and Tori. It, however, is hard to say just how close Alysssa and Josie are. Their relationship is not as heavily featured on the family’s show, Bringing Up Bates.

Fans notice that Alyssa and Erin seem cold toward one another

While several of the Bates sisters appear to enjoy a close relationship, there are a few family connections that don’t look particularly strong. Fans have noticed that Alyssa and Erin, who are just four years apart in age, don’t appear to be particularly connected, and geography may not be the reason why.  

Fans strongly believe that Alyssa may harbor some resentment towards Erin. A Reddit user points out that Alyssa, along with her older sister, Michael, were often tasked with childcare and cooking, while Erin was given more freedom to practice her music. If Erin was given a bit of a free pass when it came to family responsibilities, it would make sense that some resentment could form. Although the sisters have never outwardly stated that they have an issue with one another, they don’t appear to be particularly friendly.

Alyssa and Erin also don’t seem to have a ton in common, at least when it comes to how they operate as adults. Erin, who married Chad Paine in 2013, appears to be sticking closely to the strict belief system she was raised in, although she recently denounced the IBLP. Alyssa, on the other hand, seems to skew more progressive, at least in her fashion choices and family planning. Alyssa married John Webster in 2014 and promptly moved to Florida.

Do the Bates kids form cliques?

Whenever a large group congregates, smaller subgroups will form. That’s generally not how it works in most families, but, then again, most family’s are not comprised of 19 siblings. With so many people growing up together, it would make sense that some of the kids would get along better than others. Different personalities play off each other in different ways. As the Bates kids age up and move on with their lives, it would make sense that they would foster closer relationships with siblings they have more in common with, while allowing others to fall to the wayside.

Of the Bates kids that are still living at home, it would appear as though Trace and Lawson Bates are particularly close. Trace is featured heavily on Lawson’s Instagram page, suggesting the two are together often. The same dynamic can be observed inside the Duggar family. For example, Joseph and John David Duggar have always seemed close because of their shared interests, while Josiah Duggar often appeared to be left on his own. Jessa and Jinger have maintained a deep connection despite geographical distance, while Jill Duggar appears to connect with her cousin more than her siblings.

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