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Advice on becoming an aunt....?

Hi,
my stepsister is about to have a baby in about a week. Well, she's not even my official stepsister but her dad and my mum have been together for years and we're like sisters so I'm going to be an 'unofficial' auntie! Is anyone else an auntie? Or even an uncle? As you can see, I'm taking my duties very seriously, I just want to make sure I'm a good aunt. Any advice anyone? Thanks in advance x

Reply 1

Juwel

18

I'll give you this one just before I go to bed.

Kids will receive obscene amounts of sweets from aunties, uncles, grandparents and elder cousins. This makes life hell for their parents. Do not be that aunt.

Reply 2

daniel_williams

15

just be there to help out from time to time, ther eis no "official role" of being an aunty or uncle... so you don't actually have to do anything if ou don't want to.

be there to help out and take the baby from your "sister" and look after it form time to time, allow her to have some space and time to herself. more so when the baby grows up be there to offer guidance and be there for them to talk to you should they need it. but other than that there is no real advice, you are only as good as you make yourself with the job of being an aunty or uncle.

Reply 3

.Ed.

11

Whatever you do don't accidently swallow the baby. Never a good idea.

Reply 4

*pitseleh*

20

Yeah, there are definitely no "official" duties! :smile:

I'm an aunty to three - I have a 13-year-old nephew and two nieces: one aged 8 and the other aged 2. Just make sure your sister knows you're there if she needs a hand, and try to be consistent as they're growing up - it's no good being really interested when the kid is still a cute baby, but not paying it any attention when it's an annoying bratty 6-year-old! (not that any of mine have been bad - they're great kids, fortunately). :biggrin:

Edit: Oh, and when it comes to presents for birthdays and Christmas - you might want to ask your sister what sort of things she would like for her son/daughter. It may spoil the surprise a little, but I think she'll thank you for giving her the chance to tell you what the baby actually needs: it should help to avoid the possibility of the baby ending up with fifty 6-12 months sleepsuits and nothing else. :wink:

Reply 5

pasta_man_beast

When the child is older, be the cool aunt that she won't be embarressed of when family and friends collide. So start working out how to be that aunt.

Reply 6

xvii

I've been an uncle for three years and felt incredibly daunted at first. But don't worry - no amount of advice can prepare you for the wonderful experience of having a niece/nephew, nor how to behave to it. Everybody adopts different techniques / have different approaches with children, but all that is necessary - which you will learn - is to be there for the kid, comfort it in times of distress, and give them reason to love you. I'm quite stern with my nephew, and I occasionally regret it, wishing that I'd taken a more loving approach when he was younger. But I've personally learned and am now - I hope - a good uncle. Try to find the right balance of discipline and kisses, is all I can suggest.

Reply 7

xJessx

OP

18

Lol, thanks for the quick replies.

When the child is older, be the cool aunt that she won't be embarressed of when family and friends collide. So start working out how to be that aunt.

I'm never going to be the coolest person ever, I'm afraid. She'll just have to settle for Crazy Aunt Jess!

When I say 'unofficial' of course, I mean not a blood relative.

Kids will receive obscene amounts of sweets from aunties, uncles, grandparents and elder cousins. This makes life hell for their parents. Do not be that aunt.

I can't promise I'm not going to spoil her but I won't overdo it. Spoilt children annoy me, I'm not a pushover lol.

Reply 8

britishseapower

14

I was an uncle at 6 years of age! got 2 nieces and a nephew. I don't really have any advice as such, I don't really see it as a duty or responsibility on my part. Sure if they ever needed my help, I would oblige but the scope of my sort of help/contact with them just extends to buying them christmas presents or just giving them some of my things, for example, my nephew is mad on Star Wars so I gave him my Star Wars tazo collection that I had as a kid.

Reply 9

pasta_man_beast

xJessx

Lol, thanks for the quick replies.

I'm never going to be the coolest person ever, I'm afraid. She'll just have to settle for Crazy Aunt Jess!

When I say 'unofficial' of course, I mean not a blood relative.

I can't promise I'm not going to spoil her but I won't overdo it. Spoilt children annoy me, I'm not a pushover lol.

My neice has actually turned me into a fearsome beast to the boys at her school. I was surprised when I went to pick her up one day from school and glanced at a group of lads only for them to take several steps back in what appeared to be terror. You could try to be that kind of aunt.

Reply 10

Stealth-Mode

13

Aunties don't really have any duties as such, they are just family members. It is different for God-parents etc, but you will be fine. Just be hospitable and caring.

Reply 11

xvii

No it bloody isn't. I'm a Godparent and the parents don't give two monkeys!!
Maybe that's because my family are nobheads though..

Reply 12

xJessx

OP

18

pasta_man_beast

My neice has actually turned me into a fearsome beast to the boys at her school. I was surprised when I went to pick her up one day from school and glanced at a group of lads only for them to take several steps back in what appeared to be terror. You could try to be that kind of aunt.

Well at 5ft 1in, I'm not the imposing type. I'm more the sort of quirky aunt that wants to take them on days out, buy them stuff and yeah, occasionally pick them up from school and who you drop in on when you're in the area and makes you drinks and food on a second's notice. And yes, I have thought about this too much. Although I'm a procrastinator, I have big ambitions so hopefully, I'll be the well off aunt who picks them up in a nice car and buys them the best pressies :biggrin:

Reply 13

pasta_man_beast

xJessx

Well at 5ft 1in, I'm not the imposing type. I'm more the sort of quirky aunt that wants to take them on days out, buy them stuff and yeah, occasionally pick them up from school and who you drop in on when you're in the area and makes you drinks and food on a second's notice. And yes, I have thought about this too much. Although I'm a procrastinator, I have big ambitions so hopefully, I'll be the well off aunt who picks them up in a nice car and buys them the best pressies :biggrin:

Being the aunt who makes food and drink is one version of the cool aunt :wink:

Sounds like you've got it all planned. I'm sure you'll be a great aunt if you do that.

Reply 14

xvii

You certainly sound passionate - something which most lack. You'll be a great aunt.

Reply 15

Wangers

16

xJessx

Hi,
my stepsister is about to have a baby in about a week. Well, she's not even my official stepsister but her dad and my mum have been together for years and we're like sisters so I'm going to be an 'unofficial' auntie! Is anyone else an auntie? Or even an uncle? As you can see, I'm taking my duties very seriously, I just want to make sure I'm a good aunt. Any advice anyone? Thanks in advance x

You'll be the one they talk to about sex and breakups, getting pissed and the one to keep their secrets 'away fom mum and dad', obviously :wink:

Reply 16

xJessx

OP

18

Wangers

You'll be the one they talk to about sex and breakups, getting pissed and the one to keep their secrets 'away fom mum and dad', obviously :wink:

Yeah, that's what I'm aiming for. :smile:

Reply 17

PinkMobilePhone

Chat Forum Helper, Life & Style Forum Helper

22

There's no real role, just be there to help out. Your 'sister' will be feeling tired after the baby is bon, so offer to help her around the house, that will be a big help.
Other than that, change a few nappies, buy cool Christmas presents, and just be there :smile:

Reply 18

Clubber Lang

15

I have 5 nephews.. i tend to be the vocie of authority as my sisters are all pretty **** at that...

you dont really have to do much tho.

Reply 19

22KT22

15

britishseapower

I was an uncle at 6 years of age! got 2 nieces and a nephew. I don't really have any advice as such, I don't really see it as a duty or responsibility on my part. Sure if they ever needed my help, I would oblige but the scope of my sort of help/contact with them just extends to buying them christmas presents or just giving them some of my things, for example, my nephew is mad on Star Wars so I gave him my Star Wars tazo collection that I had as a kid.

I beat you i suppose i was technically an auntie from the day i was born, i have 1 niece and 3 nephews who are older than me and 1 that is younger than me!! My eldest niece is actually getting married this summer!1 :s-smilie:

so im afraid OP im not great at the advice here, i would just say what above poster said, offer to babysit buy them good pressies and be the cool aunt who they go to when they dont want to talk to their parents!

Advice on becoming an aunt....?

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