6 Birth Months Who Were Born To Be The Favorite Aunt
You can usually spot the favorite aunt before she's even taken off her coat. Someone is already pulling her toward the toy box, and someone else has saved her a seat. Whether she's family by birth or an honorary aunt by friendship, she has a following. Here's our affectionate birth-month ranking, starting with the aunt whose appeal lasts long after the kids grow up.
1. July
July, you take first place because being your niece or nephew comes with a permanent place in your life. There's a cup they always use at your house, a bedtime story you apparently aren't allowed to retire, and room beside you when they've had a miserable day. You remember how they liked things when they were little, but you make room for who they're becoming. One day, the child who used to fall asleep on your shoulder is driving over to tell you about their first apartment. You still buy their favorite cereal.
2. June
June, a child can hand you a toy phone in the middle of a conversation, and you will answer it. You understand that the call could be important. Before long, you're taking dinner reservations from a stuffed rabbit while your niece explains the restaurant's extremely complicated rules. Your delight is real, which makes playing with you feel different from having an adult watch from the couch. The kids know exactly where to find you at a family gathering: on the floor, being informed that you've turned into a horse.
3. October
“Hang on, I want to hear the rest.” October, that's the sort of thing you say when a child's story gets swallowed by the dinner-table conversation. You turn back toward them and wait. Even the long account of who sat beside whom at lunch gets your attention, because you're interested in what it meant to them. That patience makes you the aunt they seek out when something is bothering them. With you, they have time to find the words before anyone starts offering advice.
4. December
An afternoon with you tends to require shoes, December. You've thought of somewhere to go, and your niece or nephew gets a say in what happens next. At the museum, you let them choose the first room. On a walk, they can be in charge of the map, even if the route becomes a little ambitious. You love watching them discover that their decisions can shape a whole afternoon. They come home eager to explain where they took you, and you let them tell it that way.
5. August
August, you are an extremely enthusiastic audience for a magic trick whose secret is plainly visible. You'll watch it again. You'll also sit through the living-room concert, cheer for the child who finally pedals without help, and ask to see the drawing they've been carrying around all day. You make their small triumphs feel worthy of an occasion. When the trick goes wrong or the song gets forgotten, you're still smiling in the front row. The pleasure, for you, was always getting to see what they wanted to show you.
6. February
February, your niece has developed an intense interest in moths, and you have questions. Which is her favorite? Does she know the name of the one by your porch light? You don't need to understand the appeal immediately to be interested in her enthusiasm. Whatever unusual thing captures a kid's attention, you give it room to become a conversation. A few visits later, you're sending her a blurry photograph from your doorstep and asking for an identification. She has become the family expert, and you're her first caller.