Being an aunt is the greatest blessing

Before I became a mommy, I was an aunty. When I first spent time with my nephew, I enjoyed it so much. I loved seeing him learn and have fun. I recently heard someone say that being an aunt is the greatest blessing and I can understand why they would say that. 

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3 Main Reasons Why being an aunt is so important

I can think of three major reasons why being an aunt is a great blessing.

1. You can choose how much time you spend with them. Even when you are babysitting your niece or nephew, it is for a certain amount of time. You know that they are not yours to keep forever. That might be sad when you consider that you cannot enjoy their sweetness for as long as you like. However, also consider that no matter how many tantrums they throw while you’re with them, you get to hand them back over to their parents.

2. You get to practice. Don’t get me wrong. No amount of time spent being an aunt will ever prepare you for having one of your own full time, all the time and every day. You will never feel that weight of responsibility but it is nice to be able to get a little taste of it so that you have some idea of what it might be like if you decide to become a mother one day.

3. You can be the no-judgement zone. If you play your cards right, you can be the peacemaker, the go-between, the listening ear for your niece or nephew. You can be the person who hears them out when they don’t want to go to their parents. You will offer them sound advice without judging but also know how to guide them as to how to take their troubles to their parents too. 

How does being an aunt change your life?

1. It teaches you to be present. Being around kids shows you how important it is to slow down sometimes. You, often unlike their own parents, have the advantage of not having to deal with all aspects of their well-being. When you’re with them, you can pay attention to one thing only whether it is the game they want to play or the story they want to tell you. They want your full attention and you can afford to give it to them. You learn to put down your phone, ignore the hundred emails you need to reply and just be present with them for as long as you’re with them.  

2. It affirms the intrinsic bond of family. You may not already have been aware of it before but when you start to spend time with your nieces and nephews, you start to see yourself in them in so many ways. It could be in their features or their mannerisms. It could also be in their personalities. You’ll find some commonalities and those make you realize that blood truly is thicker than water. Even if you’re not close to your own siblings, it will set you thinking about the things you have in common with your other family members and that can make you feel closer to them as well. 

3. You learn the importance of being non-judgemental. When you spend plenty of time around your nieces and nephews and their family units, you get to see the struggles involved in childcare. You see how hard it is maintain a household with kids in it and that teaches you to be less judgemental of not just parents but people in general. You learn that you never know the struggles that someone might be going through at home and so you should not be too quick to judge them based on their clothing, that hair they have out of place or the heavy bags under their eyes. 

4. You want to be a better person. Being an aunt is the greatest blessing because you benefit even more from your role as an aunt than your nieces and nephews do. You have little, impressionable eyes on you now. You want to make them proud and you have to lead by example. You can’t just tell them the right things to do. You have to show them the right things to do. This gives you the motivation to do things better than you did before. You want to go harder at the work you’re doing and spend more time doing the things that bring you joy. It’s seeing you in your element that makes those kids admire you so much. 

4 Ways to be an amazing aunt

Speaking of what your nieces and nephews admire you so much, how can you be an amazing aunt to them? It’s being and doing the things with them that their parents really don’t often have the time to do. Sometimes, that can be just sitting and listening.  

1. Focus. When you’re with them, be present. Focus on them. They’re your main responsibility at the time. So be responsible and make sure they know that you’re listening and that you care. Being an aunt is the greatest blessing but only if you identify it as an opportunity to be an important figure in the kids’ lives.

2. Fun. Honestly, once you focus on them completely, they can only see you as fun because then you’ll be able to quickly identify the things they want to do to enjoy themselves while they’re with you. Read that story over and over again. Tickle them for fifteen minutes straight if it makes them laugh. Let them put pink hair clips all over your hair if it makes them happy. 

3. Be a storyteller. Tell them about their parent’s childhood or youth. Share funny and important memories you have with their parent. This not only strengthens your own bond with the kids but also helps them to see their parent as full individuals who also had childhoods. 

4. Be their friend. This is something that, try as many parents do, it is hard to accomplish all the time because there is often so much disciplining and just plain old adulting involved in parenting. However, you can do this. You have less disciplining to do with them than their own parents do. Make it your priority to be their older friend. The person they can share deep secrets with. The person they can go window shopping with and on a dinner date with. The person they can call when they’ve been out on a horrible date and need someone to come and take them home. Talk to them about your own life. Share things about yourself with them so that they know how human you are and are able to relate to you on all levels. 

What is the best quote about being an aunt?

Cool quotes about aunts are good for you as an aunt to help you reflect on your own relationships with your nieces and nephews. A lot of these quotes show why being an aunt is the greatest blessing. Of course, you can also use them in birthday cards, for example, to your own aunts.

Here are some of the best quotes you’ll ever hear about being an aunt:

“Nine out of 10 children get their awesomeness from their aunt.” — Someecards

“One thing is for certain, an auntie brings a little more wisdom, warmth, and love to every little life that they touch.” – Unknown

“The best aunts aren’t substitute parents, they’re co-conspirators.” — Daryl Gregory, Harrison Squared

“Aunts offer kids an opportunity to try out ideas that don’t chime with their parents and they also demonstrate that people can get on, love each other and live together without necessarily being carbon copies.” – Sara Sheridan

“An aunt is someone special to remember with warmth, think of with pride, and cherish with love.” – Unknown

“Being a sister is an honor. Being an aunt is priceless.” – Unknown

“An aunt is a safe haven for a child. Someone who will keep your secrets and is always on your side.” — Sara Sheridan

“My Aunt is the best ever Aunt. She is my friend, my cheerleader, and my shoulder to cry on.” – Unknown

Truly, being an aunt is the greatest blessing.

What is your favourite thing about your favourite aunt?

What is your favourite thing about being an aunt?