My limb of the family tree ends with me. There will be no children or grandchildren along my limb. I will not be the reason why someone exists.

While it is sad to know that I will not be the reason why someone exists, I’ve fully embraced my Auntie role in my kiddos lives! I never grew up with an Auntie that played with me, who had a slumber party with me, who I shared my stories with, took me shopping, or spent much time with me. My Aunties were there but seemed distant to me. They were adult figures that were there from time to time, but as a child of the 1970’s, I was to be seen but not heard. I don’t know my Aunties.

As an Auntie now, I’ve committed myself to an Auntie role in their lives that does all those cool things with my kiddos. I play, I slumber, I listen to their stories, I shop, I do things with them. I want my kiddos to know that I’m the Auntie that they can always count on to be there with them and for them. They know that when I walk in the door, it is time to play! I am a trooper….never has any Auntie played so much hide-and-seek….I have EARNED my stripes!

I want my kiddos to remember their childhood and know that there was someone who was always there for them. I want them to feel that they were loved unconditionally. I want them to feel like they were spoiled with my time, and know that I loved every minute of it.

I won’t have children to carry on my family legacy or my traditions. I won’t ever be “Mom”. But I get to be “Auntie” and only “Auntie”. There is no splitting of my time between Mom and Auntie, so I just get to be the best Auntie possible. There may be things that I will pass on to them, but those things are insignificant. They will always get to live with the memory of a childhood with their favourite Auntie!

Robyn Jamieson-Voss