“Aunties are the rule-breakers. When they come over to babysit, the fancy dishes come out, the kitchen becomes a playground, and screen time and bedtime extend. They go on adventures, take my kids to slightly inappropriate movies and shows, and they expose them to new music.”3 But, in my experience, aunties (and other nonparenting caretakers) also see children as whole people in a way that parents don’t. It means they can engage with kids as they really are and see what they are capable of. The mirror they hold up allows kids to think more deeply about who they are and extend themselves into
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