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Hey Awesome Aunties,
Today I'm going to share some
valuable knowledge that every Aunty must know... it is the only way to do the
job.
1. Live like an adult and think like
a child
It's the best way to do it. Be
a grown up, unless you are with your coolest little relatives, in which case it
is your job to be fun! Think like a kid! Play like a kid!
Have fun and they will too!
2. There is no such thing as
"mess-free craft"
I have written about this before in
a post about babysitting. The long and the
short of it is that craft is supposed to be messy. Actually, play is
supposed to be messy! Aunties know that "when da kids are in da
house there gonna be mess". (I got the street talk down!
Totes! Drop it like it's hot. Yeah) They don't get stressed about mess
and they don't argue with their little buddies about clean up. Remember,
Aunties are fun! Aunties help make the mess and they help clean it up!
3. Silly Jokes are Funny
Depending on the age of your nieces
and nephews, the jokes they find funny will be very different. Awesome
Aunties, know silly jokes and know when to tell them. When kids are
really little, funny = silly adults, people falling over (as long as they
aren't hurt), or words like poop and burp. Word puns are great for eight to
12 year olds (as long as their language development is on track). Knock
Knock Jokes are good for this age group too. Teenagers can be a bit hit
and miss, but the latest internet meme will usually get you a laugh if you
share it with them via MMS or other technology.
4. Mary Poppins knew her stuff!
5. Nobody's Perfect!
While
you can take a leaf out of Mary Poppins' book, you are not Mary Poppins.
I don't want to be either. (Although there are photos somewhere of a nine
year old version of myself, dressed up as Mary Poppins, holding an umbrella
high and jumping off the front steps). You won't always get it right
and sometimes the darling little treasures will want Mummy/ Daddy/
Grandma more than they want you. But, there comes a time in a kid's life
when they realise that you are an Awesome Aunty and they will decide that
you are their favourite relative. Enjoy that moment of shining
glory!
6. No other adult is like
you.
There is no need to compete. It takes a village to raise a child and as an Aunty you have a unique role to play in the lives of your littlest loved ones. You are fun, wise, exciting, quiet, cuddly and more. You are not grandma or grandpa, mum or dad, the teacher or the babysitter. You are their Aunty and no one else can be like you.
There is no need to compete. It takes a village to raise a child and as an Aunty you have a unique role to play in the lives of your littlest loved ones. You are fun, wise, exciting, quiet, cuddly and more. You are not grandma or grandpa, mum or dad, the teacher or the babysitter. You are their Aunty and no one else can be like you.
The
greatest secret to being an Awesome Aunty is this...
When you are a strong and
confident woman in the life of a child and you love them unconditionally,
you are awesome in their eyes!
I
have more advice coming for you and some tips on what the best Aunties
have under the bed and in their handbags.
If you want to check out lesson 1, click here.
Your Homework this
week...
Have some fun with
your nieces and nephews.
