Becoming An Aunt For The First Time
In general, when someone who is not a mother herself receives the great news that she will be aunt for the first time, she will have an incredible and indescribable feeling. Regardless of the circumstances, the moment and even the age, the arrival of a niece or nephew will be something very special.
The little one who comes into the world will – without a doubt – be the joy of the house. He or she will also be the main character in many games that the new aunt will surely be a part of.
When you become an aunt for the first time
When you become an aunt for the first time, you will be excited to learn your niece or nephew new things, take pictures at each milestone, and prepare delicious desserts or snacks that you can share.
You are like another mother, to this new human being, and you will eagerly await the moment when he or she will call you “aunt” for the first time.
You will always be there to take advantage of the privileged moment of getting him or her to sleep, and repeating the same story a hundred times. In the meantime, you will leave discreet, yet essential, comments which will create, the person he or she is.
Together, you can watch TV shows or just cartoons, so you can comment and exchange opinions. In addition, you will teach him or her to reflect and emphasize values that will be useful in life’s long journey.
Despite this, the fact that you love your niece or nephew does not mean that you will forget discipline and respect when it comes to helping shape him or her as a person. You should always contribute to his or her personal development and be a good role model.
5 golden rules to follow when you become an aunt for the first time
Sometimes, for the simple reason that you are not a mother yourself, you will not take your nieces or nephews education seriously. It’s actually a mistake.
Here are 5 golden rules for being the best aunt you can be:
1. Be an extraordinary aunt, not a peer
When the parents are not around, an aunt’s role comes into play. The child will need a tutor, not a companion.
Nowadays, it is very common for an aunt to entrust her fears and problems to her nephew or niece. Becoming an aunt for the first time means setting boundaries and norms, just like parents have to.
2. Discipline your niece or nephew from childhood
As an aunt, one of your tasks is to teach your nieces and nephews to help with household chores from an early age, as well as to support their parents in making them understand that they must follow the rules.
On the other hand, do not tolerate bad behavior. Once the child receives your support for his or her mistakes, he or she will take control of the situation and, therefore, not obey his or her parents.
Dedicate quality time to your niece or nephew
Often, aunts do not live in the same house as her niece or nephew. She is also probably not able to spend as much time with him or her as she would like, due to work and other commitments.
Therefore, when they are together, they should take advantage of the free time, and turn them into quality moments. A little bit of time is enough for a play, doing exercises, sitting down and talking, or walking for a few hours.
Your niece or nephew will definitely appreciate that time together. No matter how short the time may be, he or she will always remember those beautiful moments.
4. Always tell the truth, even if it may be harsh
There is no doubt that sincere self-esteem comes from overcoming a challenge. Therefore, you should not be overprotective. This will not be beneficial when the child needs to develop his skills in overcoming problems.
At the right time, you should praise for sincere accomplishments. If your niece or nephew, for whatever reason, does not get to the finish line, do not make him or her feel useless. Nor should you treat him or her like a winner. Help him or her learn from his or her defeats.
5. Always monitor the problems they run into
It is not a myth that an unattended child will become a serious problem in the short run. Therefore, it is your duty as an aunt, not to give free rein to your niece or nephew, no matter how old he or she is.
This monitoring should be done without the child feeling overwhelmed. This will make him or her stop being himself or herself. Moreover, you will also no longer be the dear aunt who guides, but a person you can not trust.
It’s a blessing to be an aunt. Your niece or nephew sees you as an extra mother with whom he or she will share sweet and not so sweet moments.
Use your influence to teach them valuable life lessons and principles. You must also give all your love, for you will surely receive much more in return.
