please could someone tell me how this works...?

[cutekids]

If my Mum's cousin has kids,what relation to me are they?
Also,if those kids have kids...with me so far?!..what relation would they be to my kids?

second and third cousins i think

oh right...none of this "3rd cousin twice removed" stuff then????

You're mum's cousin's kids are your second cousins.

Your second cousins' kids are third cousins to your kids and second cousins once removed to you.

your mum's .

Sorry, removed does come in to it

I think (but don;t quote me ) that the twice/three times etc removed refers to how many generations the sibling-link is away from you. So cousins whose parent is the sibling of one of your parents are once removed, counsins with grandparents who are the sibling of one of your gps are twice removed etc. 1st 2nd etc refers to how many generations away they are.

Or is it the other way round....?

Yes, removed is difference in generations.

Your mother's first cousin is your first cousin once removed, your children's first cousin twice removed, your grandchildren's first cousin three times removed.

Your mother's first cousin's children are your second cousins, your children's second cousins once removed, your grandchildren's second cousins twice removed.

so..my mum's cousin is my 2nd cousin?
or..my 1st cousin once removed?

my mum's cousin's daughter is my 2nd cousin?

my mum's cousin's daughter' daughter is my...?

Sorry....!
confused.

First cousins have their grandparents as the nearest common ancestor, second will have their great-grandparents, and so on. If the cousins are in different generations, you could from the oldest generation.

Your mum's cousin is your cousin once removed. You are a generation apart, hence once removed. Nearest common ancester is your mum and her cousin's common grandparents.

Your mum's cousin's daughter is your second cousin. Same generation, so no 'removed'. Nearest common ancestor - your great-grandparents.

Your mum's cousin's daughter's daughter is your second cousin once removed - same nearest common ancester (counting from you this time) but with a generation gap.

I find the most confusing bit is that the generations go up as well as down. For instance, my mum's cousins* are my first cousins once removed. But my cousins' kids are also my first cousins once removed. It does make sense - what I am to my cousins' kids, my mum's cousins are to their cousin's (my mum) kids (me and my brother).

It's just weird that one set of my first-cousins-once-removed comprises six children aged seven and under, and the other set several people in their late fifties and early sixties!

• actually none of my mum's cousins are full blood relatives, but we'll put that aside for now

LOL dontcallmebaby...sounds like my family...better stop now...we could be related...!