I am the mother of none, but the very proud Aunt to four beautiful children. I did absolutely no work to create them, but I will do everything in my power to help raise them.
Have you ever wanted to write a letter to your niece or nephew? Do you want to create a lasting memory for them to hold dear in their hearts and refer back to for years? I’m going to break down the process and how you to write a letter to your niece or nephew in 5 easy steps. So let’s get you can get started creating your own.
Step 1 to Write a letter from an Aunt:
Write your feelings
When I think about (name) I (blank). Write this sentence over and over with a new feeling or action attached to it.
For example:
When I think about Jayden I’m amazed by how smart he is.
When I think about Jayden: I feel his love through his hugs.
When I think about Julian I get excited about his future because he shows so much potential.
When I think about Julian: I laugh because he’s always doing something he’s not supposed to do and somehow getting away with it.
My nephews are two completely different characters. Jayden is a quiet cuddle bug. He gives GREAT hugs and loves to snuggle. He’ll sit down with a project or video game and get really involved in mastering whatever he’s got his hands on. Julian is more vocal and pretty mischievous. He’s got a lot of energy so he’s constantly running around and cracking jokes (even when he doesn’t mean to). He’s the one that you have to worry about if he’s too quiet.
Don’t second guess yourself. Keep writing. The words don’t have to be perfect, spelled correctly, or come out in complete sentences. This writing exercise gives your brain a workout so your creative juices start to flow. If you’re writing more than one letter, I suggest tackling one name at a time.
Step 2 to Write a letter from an Aunt:
Begin writing memories you have of you together.
This could be the first time that you held them in your arms. How did that make you feel?
Or when you first made them laugh? Didn’t that just make you want to hit pause and rewind?
Those moments in time that you can reflect back on and stick out in your mind are the ones that they should know about. I always like to share ones that have made me laugh.
Example (True stories):
I remember one night we were all eating dinner together as a family. Layla was about 3 years old and her favorite food was spaghetti. She was on her 3rd bowl of roni’s when she let out a HUGE sneeze! We looked over and saw a single piece of spaghetti hanging out of her nose!
When Lola was about a month or 2 old, I was babysitting so her parents could have a night out. She fell asleep while drinking her last bottle for the night. About 20 minutes into her sleep, I hear Lola crying and I rushed to her side. As I picked her up, I smelled something a little off so I check her diaper. She didn’t just poop. She POOPED all the way up to her neck! AAAAH! And I’m alone?? This was my first awful baby poop experience!
Step 3 to Write a letter from an Aunt:
Give examples of how they have changed your life.
You’re not the same person you were yesterday simply because today is a new day. Therefore, you’re not the same person you were before you were an Aunt. Tell them how becoming their Aunt has changed your life.
My examples to my nieces and nephews:
My nurturing qualities kick into high gear.
My playful and imaginative sides are woken up, and I feel light again.
Somehow my mind gets to take a break from thinking about adult things.
Step 4 to Write a letter from an Aunt:
Make them a promise that you can keep
Everyone has their own life to live, so I’m not suggesting putting them before yourself. However, I am suggesting to carve out some space for them, and make a promise that won’t be broken.
My example:
I want you all to know that no matter your age, I’ll always play with you. My arms will never grow tired of your hugs. Your tears will never bother my shoulder. And my door is always open for a visit from you.
Step 5 to Write a letter from an Aunt:
Put it all together
There aren’t any rules of the order. The important part has already been done – you’ve gotten your feelings, thoughts, and memories down on paper. Now it’s time to start your letter. Take out that pen and paper or open your laptop and start writing!
