Aunties
I have some wonderful aunts. The two aunts, V and C, that I have particularly in mind (the rest of them are nice, too, but they live really far away and I hardly know them) are related to me by marriage, not blood, but they've been a big part of my life, and now a big part of Dutch's life. They recommended books to me, complimented me, gave me advice, listened to me, laughed at my jokes, made me laugh, told me the truth, told me the good parts of the truth, gossiped with me, and generally made my life richer.
Adults, related or not, who are not part of the nuclear family, are really important in a kid's life. They act as role models and teachers in a way that parents are too close to do. Kids can't really hear what their parents are saying much of the time, particularly in the throes of adolescence. Having adults who cared about me and were interested in me was really important to me, and had a much bigger influence than those adults probably ever guessed.
I've joked about how I'd like to send Dutch off to Summer Bootcamp every year, to stay with various friends and family members, so she can learn lots of things we can't teach her. (How to put on makeup, how to be assertive, how to make a decent pie crust, how to play drums, how to build a composting toilet, how to speak Latin, how to play basketball, etc.) Actually, I've pretended to be joking about it, but I'm really pretty serious. I want my friends and family to be involved with her, and I want her to get that guidance into a larger world than Cook and I can provide. I want her to have aunties (auntie in the sense of an honored adult in a child's life).
Anyway, I'd like to call for a moment of appreciation for all the aunties, who give their time and attention and energy and love to one kid or another, even though they don't have to. And an extra moment of appreciation for MY two aunts, who still crack me up and amaze me with their generosity. Every one of their kindnesses to the bratty young me was received (secretly, under the veneer of sullenness) with gratitude, and cherished.
Adults, related or not, who are not part of the nuclear family, are really important in a kid's life. They act as role models and teachers in a way that parents are too close to do. Kids can't really hear what their parents are saying much of the time, particularly in the throes of adolescence. Having adults who cared about me and were interested in me was really important to me, and had a much bigger influence than those adults probably ever guessed.
I've joked about how I'd like to send Dutch off to Summer Bootcamp every year, to stay with various friends and family members, so she can learn lots of things we can't teach her. (How to put on makeup, how to be assertive, how to make a decent pie crust, how to play drums, how to build a composting toilet, how to speak Latin, how to play basketball, etc.) Actually, I've pretended to be joking about it, but I'm really pretty serious. I want my friends and family to be involved with her, and I want her to get that guidance into a larger world than Cook and I can provide. I want her to have aunties (auntie in the sense of an honored adult in a child's life).
Anyway, I'd like to call for a moment of appreciation for all the aunties, who give their time and attention and energy and love to one kid or another, even though they don't have to. And an extra moment of appreciation for MY two aunts, who still crack me up and amaze me with their generosity. Every one of their kindnesses to the bratty young me was received (secretly, under the veneer of sullenness) with gratitude, and cherished.
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Dad
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Bird