Being an aunt (even an honorary one) can be one of the most rewarding experiences you can have, not least because you get to hand the baby back when it starts squealing! Here are some of our favourite reasons for being an aunt… ____________________________________________________ Getting a cuddle (and handing them back for the nappy changes) There is nothing better when you’ve had a tough day then a warm little cuddle from your favourite little kid. Babysitting is a water-tight excuse for not going out We’ve all had those evenings where the last thing we want to do is go outside, so babysitting is the perfect excuse for not venturing out into those dark winter nights. The opportunity to wreck your sibling’s head by buying a very noisy toy (drum kit anyone?) Ah. The best of them all – sweet revenge on your sibling. You could buy your little niece or nephew a drum kit (too far?) or indeed any noisy toy if you wish to drive them absolutely mad. In saying that, you could also just leave saucepans in strategic positions around the floor. It’s an excuse to go to a One Direction (insert other musical guilty pleasure) concert Be it a One Direction concert (or whoever is your musical guilty pleasure), having a little niece or nephew to use as your front is perfect. The same rule applies for the Disney films in the cinema by the way. Buying funky outfits It’s a funny old day when you are wandering around your usual shopping haunts such as H&M and find yourself drawn to the kids section. With so many cute outfits around it’s very hard to not splurge on the little one in your life. Must. Resist. Oversized. Sunglasses. (it is October after all). You can teach them anything (and we mean anything) Again this can fall under the sibling revenge heading or indeed just the plain old satisfaction you get when you see them grasp and learn something that you have taught them (*puffs up with pride). Ah Sure Aren’t They Just A Dote Taking photos and videos and… well yes, more photos of your beautiful little niece or nephew and showing them to friends is the best enjoyment ever. Ah would you look at how cute she is! Sneaking little treats This is the ultimate bold aunty trick – sneaking little treats to your niece or nephew when no one’s looking. Well, someone has to take the title of ‘cool aunty’ don’t they? Though I don't think we'd go this far... Realising your sibling has turned into your mother The best fun of all is getting to tease your brother or sister when you hear them coming out with some of those famous one-liners you heard throughout your childhood. Getting to wind them up about it is the most satisfying thing ever. You can blame them for anything No matter what goes wrong around the house, once there's a little kid wandering around you can blame them for anything. And we mean, anything (including smells). Yes... it is a bit evil but sure who's going to ever know? Broody much? Having a niece or nephew can make you very broody… but just in case it doesn’t.. you might find this helpful. Though to be fair, the pros really do outweigh the cons. Kids just say the funniest things... Finally, your little niece or nephew is definitely going to be one of your biggest sources of entertainment. They might land you in it sometimes (beware - they repeat EVERYTHING they hear) but other times, the random stuff they say will have you in hysterics.