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They are your “second siblings” and are also friends that you play with and share sacred experiences with that enrich your lives. That’s why a relationship with your cousins is sometimes so special.
Your cousins represent a unique family bond. These close relatives or “second siblings” enrich your childhood and teenage years.
The psychological and social environment of the close bonds you form with your cousins is a special one. It’s similar to that with your parents and siblings.
Cousins are unique friends. In addition to sharing a paternal or maternal last name, together you’ve lived a thousand adventures, created countless memories and formed key pieces of one another’s maturity.
We invite you to take a closer look at this valuable relationship. It’s one that’s worth caring for today, and you should encourage your children to strengthen that family bond.
Something interesting anthropologists have told us is that not all cultures place equal value on family in daily life. There are some countries where there is little friendly familial contact. Phone calls and get togethers take place once every month or so.
But, in other cultures, it’s not uncommon to see daily or regular contact. Several generations may even live together to care for the elderly, out of economic necessity or just because of simple reciprocity.
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Many people grow up with their cousins just a step from their home. Their grandparents may even live nearby and pick them up when, being at work, their parents can’t.
Growing up with this regular daily contact with habitual acts of affection and respect is a strong value in certain cultures. Every family member benefits.
Let’s see what your cousins can do for your childhood. Let’s also talk about what role they play once you’re grown up.
When children come into the world, their first circle of interaction is with their parents and siblings. Long before they begin to build friendships with their peers, they’ll have social contact with their cousins. That can be very beneficial.
Your cousins are those second siblings with whom you can learn more about your grandparents, enjoy holiday and weekend adventures, get lost, discover, argue, laugh and create that “cognitive reserve” that helps you all grow inside.
Something that everyone knows is that you may not get along with every single one of your cousins from your mother’s and father’s sides.
If you have good relationships with your siblings and your partner’s family, don’t hesitate to encourage gatherings that adults will enjoy and also allow the younger members of the families to get to spend time together.
See also: Practice Random Acts of Kindness
Allow your children to have the same positive relationships with their cousins that you had with yours.