As a child-free Auntie, wondering how common this is

[RainyDayLove]

Afternoon all!

I'm the doting Aunt to a brilliant kid, just about to turn 2. She's the first nibling I've known from birth (niece and nephew on my husband's side are absolutely adored by us as well, but were 5 and 7 when I met them).

Because we don't live too near my brother and sister-in-law, I have been so pleasantly surprised when I've seen my niece and she hasn't shied away from me, or when she's been excited to see me on video calls (although I know any moving screens are exciting to her to be fair!) My lovely SIL told me that they spend time some evenings with her looking through family photos and pointing out her aunts and uncles, and other family members who she doesn't get to see in person often. I'm guessing that this is why she seems to know who we are, and hopefully doesn't feel scared when she sees all these weird people in her house!

No point really to this post beyond just a lighthearted appreciation for SIL for doing this, and wondering how common this is in families where the little'uns don't get to see their family often.

That sounds lovely!

I am also an aunt, with no children of my own, and I have one nephew. He is four years old, and I see him and his family twice a year. I know both my brother and his wife talk about me to my nephew, and sometimes I talk on the phone with him, so he knows who I am, but he is usually and naturally a bit shy at first when we meet. But after a while he is really talkative, and knows my name!
Also when I send him gifts or cards, they always tell him that the gifts are from Aunt MyName.

Same here - it’s lovely. My dcs are closer to my family living further away than local in law family. I don’t know if it is because of the relationship dynamics in either family or if they just spend more quality time with the ones that come to visit.

My SIL did that with her two as well Op. They don’t live close by us so we didn’t see them often, but as well as having her dc looked at family photos, she was really good at sending pictures of the dc to us.
I say was, as the DC are now adults so it’s not really needed. It’s a lovely thing to do.

My SIL does this - looks through photos of me / my partner and the kids regularly and it means the world to me.