Going to become an uncle! Need advice

[Silvermoth]

Hi everyone,

Guess what? I'm going to become an uncle! I find out on Monday what the gender of the baby is and he/she will be born in August.

I haven't had much experience with babies but a friend of the family brought her nephew down last weekend and that was fun. Anyways what sort of things make a good uncle because so far all I've got planned is sort of an obi wan kenobi type plan where I hover round dispensing wisdom and the occasional lightsabre.

 

[GENERAL RAAM582]

Just don't be the weird Uncle. We all have one, Hell, I have three. So yeah.

 

[Evelisse]

Fun uncles are cool, as the kid grows just don't let he/she walk all over you, and respect whatever rules their parents have as best you can.

 

[Llama_Shepherd]

I've been an uncle since I was 6. It's not hard, just be the person you wanted to have around when you were younger.

 

[Monsieur Xavier]

Spoiler her hard !

 

[Erzengel]

How much time are you actually going to be spending with your future nephew/niece?

 

[Fallen Angel]

Be cool with them that's all but do respect any rule his/her parent's have weather you agree or not and you'll be fine.

 

[NickNitro]

As Uncle your duties are to be awesome. You let him/her do anything they want, especially the things mom and dad don't let them do. You give advice, you are kind of like their parents but more their friends. Just act cool, and don't press on the soft spot

 

[Pink Ranger]

I don't set out deliberately to be the "fun uncle," but I kind of fall into that role organically every time without fail.

For me, the key has always been to "play along" with whatever play pattern or personality the kid develops at a toddler age and going forward. For example, just because you like football, you don't start hurling footballs (even tiny ones) around hoping from him/her to catch on. If the kid plays with Duplo and has these strange, nonsensical scenarios for all their little squishy lego people, then you participate along with that, as nonsensically or more so. If he has this new game of wearing a paper napkin on his head for most of the day, then that's the most hilarious thing ever.

 

[Spider-Aziz]

Do what every good parent, uncle, aunt, and grandparent does
Give good wise advice, and pass good life lessons

 

[Bim]

Congrats! t:

I've been an aunt for almost 4 years now, and it's been fun. I appointed myself her official photographer, so my poor niece has had to put up with a camera on her face since birth lol. But i've managed to document her life so far, so that's pretty cool. She likes sitting with me to watch her old baby videos on my laptop, and since she's also very musical i also downloaded a bunch of kid songs videos i used to love as a kid, and other ones i've found, and we have a blast singing and even dancing along.

I'm not just a fun aunt though. I do correct her when she's done something wrong, but i think it's important to also let the kid have their personality, and encourage them to do things they like, and do it with them. For example, my niece loves to color and do puzzles, so i always do that with her. She has an incredible imagination and sensibility, so i also try and encourage her to not lose that, and yes, i find myself playing along some fantastic scenarios, but it's fun. It's like being a little kid again t:

My first language is spanish (so is hers), so i also teach her some english, which has helped her a lot in school now, cause they're teaching her english there, and i can reinforce the pronunciation of the words they teach her. This week it's all about orange juice and lemonade lol

I also make sure we have time just us. I want her to feel that she can talk to me and that i'll always be there. We have a very cool bond now, and i hope that's something that will just continue to grow with time.

Possibilities are endless when you're an uncle! Getting involved is wonderful, so i wish you the best, Silvermoth

 

[Erzengel]

Due to some unforeseen circumstances, for the first 6-7 years of her life I was a surrogate father for my niece and often used as a threat of disciplinarian when she was up to no good. Today I still help her with her homework as I'm the only one who can.

 

[Senator Pleasury]

You don't need advice. Other people do the work so you become an uncle. My only advice regsrding babies is, don't have one.

 

[Godzilla2000]

My best advice to give you is to not let the parents know what you let your niece/nephew get away with when you babysit, like letting them stay up late or eating as much sweets as they want.

 

[Senator Pleasury]

When he grows up, spoil him behind his parents' back.

 

[Spider-Aziz]

When he grows up, spoil him behind his parents' back.

That is not a good advice, the parent should never be a rival in the kids affection

 

[Nell2ThaIzzay]

Pretty much just be a presence in their life. You will be a large part of their memories of their childhood. I no longer live near my nephews (I moved back to California after 6 years in Tennessee where they are at) but my time there was spent being involved in some of their most important moments and coaching their baseball teams and just being a loving presence in their lives.

 

[Mike_D202]

I became an uncle to a set of twins 4 years ago, I played with them a lot and called them "my buddies" and bought them toys (we grew up poor and I wanted these boys to have some cool things, I bought them they're first Batman action figures last year) and even put in my "Real Ghostbusters" DVD collection when I babysat them. I left all the major duties (diaper changing being a big one) to the mom LOL

 

[Pink Ranger]

Also Silvermoth, if it's a girl, part of your job when she gets older is to intimidate the **** out of any guy with untrue intentions towards her; give her dad "plausible deniability." t:

 

[Ant-manic]

i see the role of uncle to be instilling a sense of wonder in you niece or nephew; developing their imagination. their parents are there to set boundaries. so they don't need you for that (unless the parents are eff-ups). teach them the things that will make them interesting to other kids in high school.

 

[Pink Ranger]

i see the role of uncle to be instilling a sense of wonder in you niece or nephew.

i.e. "I wonder why he drinks all the time." t:

 

[Ant-manic]

i.e. "I wonder why he drinks all the time." t:

well i wasn't going to just come out and say it...

 

[Silvermoth]

How much time are you actually going to be spending with your future nephew/niece?

As much time as possible! My sister is moving down to Victoria just to be with her family

Spoiler her hard !

Ha, this seems to be a theme so I think I will, I intend to be the first person to get them into video games for example and hopefully a healthy curiosity for science

I've been an uncle since I was 6. It's not hard, just be the person you wanted to have around when you were younger.

This is great advice, thanks llama shepherd

Just don't be the weird Uncle. We all have one, Hell, I have three. So yeah.

Oh dear. I do have a history of weirdness. For my high school disco everyone dressed up in sexy costumes but I came as nightcrawler (except everyone thought I looked like a smurf)

Congrats! t:

I've been an aunt for almost 4 years now, and it's been fun. I appointed myself her official photographer, so my poor niece has had to put up with a camera on her face since birth lol. But i've managed to document her life so far, so that's pretty cool. She likes sitting with me to watch her old baby videos on my laptop, and since she's also very musical i also downloaded a bunch of kid songs videos i used to love as a kid, and other ones i've found, and we have a blast singing and even dancing along.

I'm not just a fun aunt though. I do correct her when she's done something wrong, but i think it's important to also let the kid have their personality, and encourage them to do things they like, and do it with them. For example, my niece loves to color and do puzzles, so i always do that with her. She has an incredible imagination and sensibility, so i also try and encourage her to not lose that, and yes, i find myself playing along some fantastic scenarios, but it's fun. It's like being a little kid again t:

My first language is spanish (so is hers), so i also teach her some english, which has helped her a lot in school now, cause they're teaching her english there, and i can reinforce the pronunciation of the words they teach her. This week it's all about orange juice and lemonade lol

I also make sure we have time just us. I want her to feel that she can talk to me and that i'll always be there. We have a very cool bond now, and i hope that's something that will just continue to grow with time.

Possibilities are endless when you're an uncle! Getting involved is wonderful, so i wish you the best, Silvermoth

You sound like an absolutely fantastic aunt!

Due to some unforeseen circumstances, for the first 6-7 years of her life I was a surrogate father for my niece and often used as a threat of disciplinarian when she was up to no good. Today I still help her with her homework as I'm the only one who can.

You also sound like a fantastic person! I'm sure your niece appreciates it more than anything in the world

Also Silvermoth, if it's a girl, part of your job when she gets older is to intimidate the **** out of any guy with untrue intentions towards her; give her dad "plausible deniability." t:

Ha, ok. That could be fun

 

[Marvolo]

I became an uncle a few years back and it's amazing! I love my niece and she's a blast to have around.

Just love him/her. Protect them. Help them. Support them. Give good advice. Have a lot of fun. Spoil them! And like Pink Ranger said, if it's a girl it's your job to help dad keep those sneaky boys in check.

 

[Silvermoth]

Just a follow up to this, just found out today it's going to be a girl.

So happy about that. I would have been happy either way but I'm looking forward to teaching her about the kick butt action heroines out there