Personal Narrative Essay: Becoming An Aunt

To this day I still remember the moment I found out I was going to be an aunt. I was young, twelve years old, and didn’t know what to expect. Being an aunt changes your life dramatically, but for the better. I have four nieces; they range from the ages one day old to seven years old. At that time, I did not know that being an aunt would bring so much joy to my life. Even though I have been an aunt for seven years now, I still thank God every day for blessing me with four beautiful nieces that make me a better person. 

Some may ask what is the role of being an aunt, and why is it so special? In my experience of being an aunt it means to play the role of being their number one supporter, protector, and comfort them. The special bond that is built within myself and my nieces has a positive effect on not just myself, but how they grow as a person. It helped me mature and discover what it's like to care for a baby. As many people are aware, taking care of a baby can be extremely difficult. My nieces and I have a special closeness that is unlike any other. It's a link that only an aunt and niece can share, and it's something that no mother figure can match. The births of my nieces pushed me to work harder every day to set the best example for them within their futures. By demonstrating these activities to my nieces, I believe I am teaching them the valuable lesson: stick to what you want to achieve in, and hard effort will pay off.

So, why am I telling you about my nieces and my role as an aunt? I'm talking about my nieces and being an aunt because being an aunt is serving as a trustworthy human mentor for these young ladies and being that someone they can come to for emotional or physical support when they don't have their parents right by them. The link between the aunt, myself, and my nieces is so strong that I am left as their younger "mother figure” throughout their lives.

It's a learning experience to be an aunt. Being an aunt instills in you the value of unconditional love. Simply entering through the door and having them rush up to hug you and tell you about their day melts your heart. Being an aunt teaches you as a person patience as well, it is crucial when it comes to caring for a child. The biggest lesson I've learned is to value the small things; appreciate the drawings they make for you, the small things they say, and simply the time you spend with them. Being an aunt has mostly taught me how to spoil someone, I always find myself going shopping and getting a small gift for each of them. No matter what the object is, they appreciate and love everything someone buys for them. 

When I met my first niece in September of 2014, my heart melted with joy. After nine months of waiting, my sister-in-law granted a blessing on the family. I was blessed with a niece named Harlee. A little back story on how I found out I was going to be an aunt. I was in seventh grade, on Christmas break. My family was having our family cookie bake off, and my brother and sister-in-law decorated a cookie that said “aunt” leaving me in shock and joy. I did not know what to think, but the excitement going throughout my body was unbearable. In January of 2015, my next niece Raelynn was born. When I found out about my second niece, I was fourteen years old. My sister and brother-in-law sat me down and handed me a baby onesie with the phrase "I have the coolest aunt!" on it. I was both surprised and overjoyed for my second niece. I was fortunate that for the first five months of her existence Raelynn, my sister, and brother-in-law lived in the same house as me. The shift of having a baby living with me was difficult at first but, in the end, I believe that this helped me grow as an aunt by demonstrating that I would be there to assist no matter what happened. My niece, Addyson, was born in March of 2018, and she is my little superhero. Addyson was truly a miraculous child. When she was born, she was not breathing, which terrified and frightened everyone. She was life flighted to a children's hospital in Pittsburgh to receive the help she required. She then become alert and shocked everyone with how healthy she was after they got her all taken care of and stable. She's now the sharpest and smartest three-year-old I've ever met. My last niece was just born yesterday, September 10, 2021.  I work for my brother and sister-in-law at Best Way Pizza. When I took the pizza out of the oven one night, it had "Aunt Danyelle" spelled out in pepperoni on it. I didn't realize it at first, but as I went to cut the pizza, I was ecstatic and filled with so much joy. Oaklee Mae was a wonderful addition to our family. I've never met a one-day-old infant who is so alert. There isn't a single movement you make that she doesn't notice. Although I have only known her for a short time, I am already obsessed with her and glad to consider her my niece. 

While others may not consider becoming an aunt to be life-changing, it has brought me so much joy to my life. I am fortunate to have four nieces with whom I share a particular connection with. As a result, some may wonder why she's telling us about becoming an aunt. Being an aunt is an important part of my life, and I am quite proud of it. They're little bundles of joy, the result of always being there for them and serving as a role model, as well as the experience of watching them grow into the people they are today. The goal of this paper is not to make someone who does not have a niece feel excluded, but to raise awareness of the joy that a family member.