What makes a great aunt

If you're not a parent yet yourself, handling a teeny-tiny newborn that seems so super-fragile is daunting. And when they begin to grow up and develop personalities, you might try to be a version of yourself that you think is appropriate, instead of giving your niece or nephew the real deal. As an aunt to three, Emily Malloy from Candler, North Carolina, has discovered that she becomes the best 'mentor' when she's just herself: silly and fun and engaging.

I am an active aunt and our weekly and bi-weekly encounters include many fun hands-on activities, but the highlights are: Nerf gun fights against the zombies aka grandparents , impromptu dancing, and right now the girls are big into makeovers," she shared. When you're spending time with the tots, your mission is to make sure they have a ton of fun and exercise out a lot of their energy—so when you send them back to their parents, they'll go right to sleep. Your sibling will surely thank you!

If you've already been through the baby rodeo a few times and now your younger sibling just had a baby of her own, it might be tempting to send all your lighty and lovingly used hand-me-downs her way.

While it's a kind gesture that can help her save money, mom-of-two Catherine Baker from Statesville, North Carolina says sometimes it can be a bit too much. Some of it was helpful but then some of it was just overwhelming," she shared.

Some things are great, but some I just don't want. Instead of dropping off a heaping load of forget-me-nots, offer to take care of the baby while she or he sorts through your stash. This will make it easier for her to focus, give her a break, and then on your way home, you can donate what she tossed aside.

Between the sleepless nights, the changes in hormones, and figuring out the breastfeeding bit, your sister or sister-in-law doesn't need a cute onesie for the newborn as much as she needs, ya know, a nap. New mom Kate McGuffin of New York City says the biggest help her siblings offered her was the gift of helping out around the house.

Though seemingly small, these things take a bullet point off the new parents' checklist, allowing them to actually close their eyes for a hot second while you help put their home back together. It might make you feel old we're with you , but now you're the cool aunt or the cool uncle.

Remember when you had one? Knowing they are surrounded by generations of family history helps them feel connected and supported through their extended family. Enjoy those grandaunts…. What Relationship is Your Cousin's Child? Sign in. Log into your account. Forgot your password? Password recovery. Recover your password. When Do Breasts Stop Growing? The Rules for Sharing, According to Toddlers.

Many people have known at least one great-uncle or great-aunt. These relatives can be very special to us, since they are a couple generations close to our ancestors than we are. Even though we are not directly descended from our great aunts and uncles, they are not distant family. Their children are our first cousins once-removed, and their grandchildren are our second cousins. The definition of a great-aunt or great-uncle is someone who is a sibling of one of our grandparents.

The most recent common ancestor MRCA that we share with our great-aunts and uncles is our great-grandparents.

In other words, the meaning of great-aunt or great-uncle is a child of our grandparents from whom we are not descended. We are descended from our grandparents, not their siblings. You are the great-aunt or great-uncle to the grandchildren of your full and half-siblings.

The most recent common ancestor is your parents, since you are most closely descended from them. As you now know, the siblings of your grandparents are your great-aunts and great-uncles. You might have any number of great-aunts and uncles in your family tree. Our great-uncles and great-aunts are close relatives with whom we share substantial percentages of DNA. I know that in my own family, I have greatly appreciated having a relationship with my great-uncles.

They remind me of my grandparents, and are a wonderful source of information about the family tree. If your grandparent had a half-sibling, then their sibling is your half-great uncle or half-great aunt. The common ancestor that you share is the parent that your grandparent and their sibling share.