My brother has been one of my best friends for pretty much all my life (there was a short period there before he was born that he didn’t make the cut for obvious reasons) and I’ve always thought he was an excellent human. Over the years he’s been an ally, a shoulder to cry on, a drinking partner, a constant support and plenty more. Now not to take away from all of that, but in the past few months I’ve met someone who’s infinitely cooler than my brother. My brother’s son.
Now before I get too far into this post I want to give a massive shout out to Fraser and Nikita for creating Navrin, their very own miniature human. And also to send them my commiserations for dropping down the list of My Favourite Family Members. I didn’t know this 12 months ago, but being an auntie is actually the best job in the world, and when I did a little research I realised it’s also extremely good for your health.
Here’s why.
It’s an excuse to visit home more often
Family is incredibly important, but it’s not always easy to get home, especially when you’re looking at a seven hour drive or propeller-powered flight… but when you’ve got a teeny tiny new family member that is literally growing by the second, you make it work. Letting a month go by without seeing how much those chubby little cheeks have grown is just not an option, and the bonus is that while you’re there you get to soak up all the other good family stuff as well.
We remember how to laugh at ourselves
Let’s face it, it’s difficult not to have a bit of a giggle when you’re playing peek-a-boo or dancing around to Frozen in the living room… but how much fun is it?! This is the kind of stuff we’d never do on our own (mainly because that Frozen song makes us want to gouge our ear drums out) but being an auntie allows you the freedom to totally surrender to the silliness.
We score a free mini workout buddy
Have you ever noticed the insane amount of energy children tend to have? It’s time to use it to your advantage! While I don’t advocate doing an Olympic lifting session together, there are plenty of other ways that the mini human can help you burn calories (while you’re secretly helping them burn energy!). Try a game of Tip in the backyard, or let them jump on your back while you punch out a few push ups and squats. Just don’t be disheartened when you see how much better than you they are at burpees.
We remember why we were given a heart in the first place
The first time we get to hold their teeny tiny squishy bodies and realise that a) we’re an auntie and b) our very own sibling was clever enough to create an actual real life human being is a pretty special one. I think that’s what the poets refer to as ‘true love’.
We get to hand them back
Revisiting your youth is great for your health, but you know what is (arguably) even better? A good night’s sleep. Being able to hand back that little prince or princess after a few hours (or a few minutes if they really start screaming the house down) means that we get all of the wonderful auntie love and fun, followed by a nice, long, uninterrupted sleep. Now that’s what I call #winning.
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