13 Reasons Being An Aunt Is Way Better Than Being A Mom

Having kids might be awesome and give life greater meaning, but if you’re lucky enough to be an aunt, you get major perks. You’ll enjoy highlights of the parenting experience without any of the drama. Woop! Here are 13 reasons why being an aunt is so much better than being a mom, if it wasn’t already obvious.

  1. You can spoil your nieces and nephews rotten. You can splurge on cute, fluffy, adorable toys and clothes for them without worrying about the consequences, like that they’ll grow up to feel entitled. Their parents can be responsible for gift-giving and family finances. You, on the other hand, can go wild!
  2. You get to give them back once the fun’s over. When your niece is becoming a little too crazy and throwing a temper tantrum, you don’t have to lose your mind like her mom might. You can excuse yourself to leave and go do other things like enjoy the peace and quiet at your own home. Bliss.
  3. You can be the big kid. Being an aunt is the perfect excuse to tune into your inner child and leave the “responsible adult” stuff to parents. You can build forts with blankets, roast marshmallows, jump on jumping castles, dance through sprinklers, watch “Frozen” on repeat, and eat cereal for dinner. Such fun!
  4. You’ll become the confidante in future. When your nieces and nephews hit their troublesome teen years, they’ll find it easier to turn to you when they need advice about something, especially when it comes to dating and relationships. Come on, it’ll be so awkward for them to confide in their parents. They’ll probably want to come to you, which will be an honor.
  5. You don’t have to worry about discipline. When they get up to mischief, fight each other, or throw pizza on the floor, you’re not the one who has to freak out or worry about how you should discipline them. When their parents swing by later, they’ll have to deal with that. You’re relieved you don’t have to witness all that drama.
  6. You don’t have to cancel hot dates on a Friday night. After a round of babysitting, you’ll be able to drive your niece or nephew back to their home and still make it to that delicious date who’s waiting for you at the restaurant across town. It’s so much fun going from “mom” to “single with no kids” in one evening!
  7. You’re the awesome one of the family. Sure, their parents are great and all, but who’s the fun one who lets them watch movies all night? Who’s the awesome, crazy, and sometimes kooky aunt who brightens up their day and is completely memorable? YOU!
  8. You get cute minions. Because you’re seen as super cool in their eyes, those kids will be more likely to listen to you when you do tell them what to do. This is a huge perk, especially when they’re running riot through your home and risking all your Versace glassware. If they think you’re cool, they’re more likely to respect you and possibly even follow you around or dress like you, which will make you feel like a celebrity.
  9. You get really cute friends. It’s refreshing to have friends who are, like, five or 10 years old. They’ll give you loads of perspective on life and make you see what’s really important, like getting your feet dirty in the sand and not stressing so much about stupid things. Plus, what other friend do you know who can shove Lego pieces up their nose to make you laugh? Exactly.
  10. You can test-run parenthood. Babysitting your niece or nephew is like using training wheels for parenthood. You get to see what it’s really like to have a kid, without actually going into it 100 percent as a parent. And, if you realize that being a parent really isn’t right for you and you won’t be having your own kids in future, no harm done! If, on the other hand, you realize that you’d love to have babies of your own, you can increase your level of responsibility as an aunt. Bonus!
  11. You skip the really gross stuff. As the fun aunt who doesn’t want to have kids, you can give lots of baby responsibilities a total miss, such as cleaning up puke or changing diapers. Ugh, someone call their parents in here!
  12. Your life stays exactly the same. Your life isn’t going to be thrown for a loop by kids when you’re a fabulous aunt because they’ll be living with you for a weekend maximum before going back to their parents. That means you won’t risk chronic sleep loss or have to quit your job so you can be a mom. You can do exactly what you want to do all the time, while still having a kid around to look after and love.
  13. Your body doesn’t have to go through a pregnancy. One of the biggest perks of being an aunt instead of a mom is that you don’t have to go through the stress and body changes associated with pregnancy. You have a really cute kid in your life who brings you so much joy, but he/she is here without you having had to go through the drama of stretch marks, sagging skin, weight gain, morning sickness, or any other pregnancy-related symptom. Woo-hoo!
Giulia Simolo is a writer from Johannesburg, South Africa with a degree in English Language and Literature. She has been working as a journalist for more than a decade, writing for sites including AskMen, Native Interiors, and Live Eco. You can find out more about her on Facebook and LinkedIn, or follow her on Twitter @GiuliaSimolo.
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