Current Events > For those of you who are uncles and aunts, can I have some tips?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Im not good with babies or kids. Just got the news today. Ill be joining the ranks next year.

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Eh I dunno. I'm an uncle to 19 kids and great uncle to 12. Been an uncle since I was 5 years old.

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Theyre really easy at first. Just make silly faces and noises at them and tell the parents how cute their kid is. That should get you through the first 18-19 years easily.

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Talk in an annoying cutesy voice and act amazed every time they do something

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They seem to prefer you talking in a normal voice in my experience.

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Do not talk to them in a cutesy voice

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Bandit_Keith posted...

They seem to prefer you talking in a normal voice in my experience.

I try that with my niece and she doesnt like me as much as my sister who uses a cutesy voice

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How do I not be the weird uncle almost everyone has?

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Just be the fun uncle, let the parents be the tough ones and you go in there and make your niece or nephew laugh. That's what I do.

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My family never seemed to have anything against me not wanting much to do with newborns. But once they get old enough to walk, I come in and start trying to coach advancements. You just gotta focus on whatever they're currently learning. Like, if they're just learning to use their hands to grasp stuff, roll a ball to them. When they get better at it, soft toss the ball and try to get them to stick their arms out and catch it. Stuff like that. Im not good at the babying stuff and no one expects it from me. You basically choose your role but want to make it a respectable and attentive role. Put your phone across the room and make your time with them actually about them. They'll grow to appreciate that you're one the ones who don't multi task when hanging out.

My older teenage niece is actually coming over in a lil bit. She likes coming over here cause Im the only one without kids. When she comes over here, it's one the only times that it's all about her. Everything I do when she's over involves her suggestions and input.

You not having your own kids can give you the advantage of being a better uncle tbh. Cause not only do they get all your attention. But you can enjoy their company more because you're not exhausted from raising kids 24/7. It'll show if you take advantage of it.

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Its the absolute best! I dont have kids own, but Im a damn good uncle. I just wish I lived closer cause my oldest niece is almost 8.

really just have YouTube or Netflix on your phone or tablet and always be ready with a movie or show and youre set!

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Buy him/her this

https://imgur.com/skZGWMp

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dont be nervous. babies sense it. if they cry they need to be changed or theyre hungry or theyre being held uncomfortably. babies need time to develop their sight so they feel everything and sense when something is off.

babies are receptive. theyll slowly cry if they dont want to leave the comfort of where they are when theyre toddlers. toddlers are more stronger and recognize people. helps if the parents help you get familiar with the toddler by showing the toddler they can trust you. enough times and an introduction isnt needed. toddlers are smart. theres a part of my parents house where one of my nieces finds me all the time. its an old blue couch. every time she goes there, she checks the couch if im there. she been doing it since she can crawl.

my mom mentioned it and wondered why... the blue couch in the den is where i play my brothers then ps3 now ps4. gaming there all the time and my niece would speak to me in jibberish while i play then id pause and grab a controller for her. after a few weeks she learned soon that the controller wasnt the same or on and ask for my controller. had to turn on a different controller for her.

know that crying is their only communication until they develop some form of communication. sometimes toddlers will cry in your face because they dont like you and cry to have others take them away particularly the parents. the parents know their child lol.


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Hm, very good advice so far. Well know if the baby is a boy or a girl in a few weeks. I havent met the mother yet. Ill be meeting her in a month.

Ill definitely try my best.

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In all honesty kids rarely care if youre good at it. They just like big people spending time with them. They dont care if your good or bad just that youre spending time with them. I could put on my little pony clips on YouTube and to them I cured cancer.

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