10 Reasons Why It’s Great to be an Aunt or Uncle

There’s nothing better than being a parent. Well except for being an uncle or an aunt!

You get to help influence and raise a child, but with more perks and benefits. You will always be a vital part of a child’s life and their growth and development, but you also get to be the cool adult for them to look up to.

Once your brother or sister or best friend brings their new little human into the world, you get elevated into the best position in the family business! Grandparents are cool. Parents have too much responsibility. You’re right in the middle of the spectrum, which is the dopest person to be: an aunt or uncle!

I’m blessed to be an uncle to some wonderful kids! Here’s my favorite reasons why I wouldn’t trade being an uncle for anything in the world:

1. You’re the Cool One
   You get to be the adult in their life, without the responsibility to be mommy or daddy. Uncles and aunts get to be themselves and get to bond with their niece or nephew.

   Kids love to call/text/Facetime their cool aunt or uncle.
   Why? Because you don’t have to scream or yell at them.

   You are the one that is always fun and down for a good time!

2. You Spoil Them
   Aunts and uncles always come around for holidays, birthdays, special events, random visits, etc – but with gifts or time away from those people they call their parents!

   Does Mom or Daddy take you to the mall? Sure, sometimes. But it’s always boring!
   A weekend with your cool uncle? HELL YEAH! No responsibility! Candy! McDonalds! PS4! Anything goes!

3. It’s Your Job to Break Them a Little
   Did Mommy and Daddy teach you how to Whip and Nae Nae? Of course not!

   You know who did? Their aunt and uncle. And it’s probably on Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat too! So now the world knows that these kids got rhythm!

   Being an aunt and uncle makes you a risk taker. We’re the ones that actually does what other adults in their life won’t. We’re the ones who play with them in the backyard. We’re the ones that ride the rollercoasters sixty-eleven times with them! We’re the ones who will act lie idiots to see them smile and come alive and be themselves!

4. Your Time is Special Time
   There is nothing like bonding time with your niece or nephew.
   Cuddling with them for a nap is something that is unmatched!

   You bond with these kids because, let’s face it. Those are the little versions of their parents!

   You want your niece or nephew to have the best in life and you will give them the world. Your time is important to him or her. Your love for them and theirs for you is one of a kind!

5. They’re Kind of Like Your Pimp
   You ever see a hot guy or girl at the store with a cute kid? Of course you’ll strike up a conversation with them. You find out that child is their niece or nephew and now you’re even more into that person! And don’t let it be a cute little girl that says “I love you Uncle Ronnie!”

   INSTANT PANTY DROPPER!

6. Your Parents Lay Off You a Little
   Use the new kids to your advantage. When parents turn into grandparents, they get all baby crazy and the attention is turned away from you!

   Just be a good aunt or uncle, then do whatever you want! BALL OUT!

7. You Bond With Your Sibling
   Once the child is born, the parents tend to find some sort of protectiveness with you. You may not be the most child friendly person in the world, but as long as you aren’t a complete hazard for the child, they will want to keep you in the child’s life.

   You won’t talk all the time. You won’t see them nearly as much. Most conversation will be over the phone when they have a quick second or when they want to FaceTime with the baby or at events when they bring the kids.

   Your social networks will be plastered with pictures of the kids (as if they aren’t already with all your old friends and their children) and it may get more than annoying. But just be considerate and love your siblings. You may not know it and they probably wont say it, but they love you and need you more than they let on.

8. Kids Help You Figure Out Life
   Being an uncle or aunt will help give you a kick in the ass about where you need to be in life.

   The new kid may scare the crap out of you, but more than likely, it will make you reevaluate life and focus on things that are meaningful – your career, relationships goals, family plans, etc.

   Are you ready for kids? Do you want to be in a relationship or are you and your S.O. ready for the next step? Do you need to do something crazy before you have kids?

9. Your Camera is Filled with Happiness
   More than likely, your phone is filled with gems of your nieces and nephews! Take it from me! If you’re having a hard day or are going through a rough time, look through your photos and their smiling faces will change your mood instantly.
10. You Get To Give Them Back
    Need I say more?

What Did I Get Myself Into: The Life and Times of Uncle Ronnie

Never in my life plan did I think I’d have kids at my age. And I don’t.

Well, not of my own.

I’ve been blessed to be an uncle/godfather to a range of children. None of which are from my blood brother. (Not yet, at least)

In this group of children that know me as Uncle Ronnie, I have my 4 beloved nieces and nephews that were brought into my life during my last relationship.

Though the relationship with my ex didn’t succeed, my relationship with their mother and my influence in the lives of these 4 children remained unscathed.

There’s nothing more rewarding than being a helping hand in raising children and seeing the fruits of your labor as they grow and develop.

So enough of the back story. Let’s talk about these kids!

4 kids.
2 girls. 2 boys.
Ages: 8, 7, 3, and 2.

Xandria, Zachery, Vallyn, and Tyrus.
The Crew. The Rugrats.
Uncle Ronnie’s babies!

my niece Xandria

Xandria (the oldest)
Xandria is my baby girl. She is my rock star. She is the one that has been a beacon of light and has taught me more than I’ve taught her. To be so young, she is very wise and intelligent. Though naive and ignorant to the perils of society, she has the heart and willpower that people would kill for. She is very meek and reserved, but her personality and character is what truly shines. She doesn’t let anything hold her back from being who she is. She dresses how she wants. She marches to the beat of her own drum.

my nephew Zachery

Zachery
Z is the oldest boy; the second born. Your normal boy. He’s an introvert at his core, but will surprise you with his in-your-face personality when he wants to. Give him some Legos and watch the boy build some intricate vehicle that you want to put on your desk at the office. If that’s too much for you, turn on a video game, hand over the controller, and walk away for some peace and quiet because he’s going to become assimilated in the virtual reality of the game. Either way, he’s coming into his own day by day. Regardless of his past, he is very loving and compassionate to be 7!

my niece Vallyn

Vallyn (the ringleader)
What is there to say about my nappy headed, sassy, vibrant, one in a million, darling niece Vallyn? She is a handful and then some. She’s cute as can be and will make sure that you know she knows. Intelligent, charismatic, just a complete character from the moment her eyes open until the moment she falls asleep. She’s the in-your-face, life of the party, “all about me” one of the bunch and she will make your mood go from 0 to 100, real quick. Among the 4 of them, Vallyn is the most likely to get in some kind of trouble or end up being the next Beyonce. Either way, I’m scared.

my nephew Tyrus

Tyrus (last, but certainly not least)
The youngest. The lover. The heartbreaker. My big headed nephew. I feel like he’s Stewie and I’m (a male version of) Lois from Family Guy. I swear he is trying to kill me!
In his “terrific 2s”, he is potty training, getting his motor skills developed and learning how to talk using real words. You may not understand what he’s saying all the time, but he sure will tell you “NO!” and mean it! A ball full of energy and emotion, facial expressions that could pierce anyone’s macho exterior, and poop that could make birds drop from the sky, Tyrus is not one to leave his presence unknown.

Safe to say, I’m one of the luckiest uncles on the planet, if not THE luckiest!

If you follow the blog, just know this is just the intro to the Life and Times of Uncle Ronnie!