Women of Conviction: Rock-Star Aunts
When I was watching this video “I’m a Mom” , I was delighted when a picture with the caption, “Just a rock-star aunt,” appeared because I currently have two adult daughters who are “rock-star” aunts to their many nieces and nephews in our ever-growing family. Also, our now-married daughters and daughters-in-laws were also “rock-star” aunts before they married and had children of their own, and they continue to be “rock-star” aunts as their time permits.
My youngest daughter Michelle with 7 of my granddaughters!
The role of “aunt” in our family has always included nurturing newborns, playing with young children, overnight babysitting, cutting, styling, and/or braiding hair, painting fingernails, playing all kinds of games including baseball, basketball and football, helping with homework, assisting with cooking, cleaning, and house organization, being available to help family members with moves from coast to coast, and sneaking their nieces and nephews some candy and treats when their parents weren’t looking!
I like the following quotes about mothering children, which are also found here:
To the Women We Love:
We are the people we are today because of the women—mothers, aunts, sisters, friends—who showed their love by showing up. Motherhood is a divine role, and God helps all women as they love and nurture others.
While the most common definition of motherhood is bearing children, it is so much more than that. Motherhood is about loving and nurturing others. All women have God-given gifts to help them in these efforts, whether they have their own children or not.
Motherhood is a divine role. We can be a mother (noun), and we can mother (verb). To mother is a calling from God for all women.
Whether you are a mother, aunt, sister, or friend, it is important to nurture and love all children. Look around and see whom you can make a part of your life and enthusiastically make a difference in their lives with your own special gifts and talents. We can all help pass on the “love of children” to one generation after another.
“Then were there brought unto him little children,
that he should put his hands on them, and pray:
and the disciples rebuked them.
But Jesus said, Suffer little children,
and forbid them not, to come unto me:
for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
And he laid his hands on them,
and departed thence.”
— New Testament, Matthew 19: 13-15
Click here to read the lyrics to my song “The Love of Children”.