In the modern world, we have fancy phones to access social media profiles and instant messaging apps created to help us stay in touch we loved ones. Opportunities to stay connected with family members are endless, but we always drift apart only to regret it later.
Cousins are important people in our lives, but we underestimate this bond until we realize the true importance of family and the joy it brings. Are you in touch with your cousins?
Chances are high there’s someone you haven’t seen or talked to for ages. Here’s why it’s important to stay in touch.
Support Group
Family helps us go through the toughest of times; cousins are always there showing support and helping you overcome every hardship. Life is life, and it comes with good and bad times.
Families aren’t just about having fun at gatherings, but being there for one another when chips are down. Cousins are like a support group that helps you cope with absolutely everyone.
Their children and your kids can do the same, which is always important. Making sure your children grow up next to their cousins gives them the greatest coping too that anyone could imagine.
Siblings Without Rivalry
Close your eyes and imagine your childhood. You and your siblings had a love-hate relationship. The rivalry was always the biggest problem.
Basically, you had a typical brother or sister relationship that most of us have. On the other hand, cousins are almost like your siblings but without rivalry and constant arguments.
Just like with real brother or sister, even when you do argue with cousins it never lasts too long. That’s the same type of relationship you want your kids to have.
You want your children to grow up being surrounded not only by their siblings but cousins as well. Cousins are our first friends, and that’s the friendship which lasts a lifetime.
Family Stories
Cousins understand your family dynamics, and they have shared so many moments with you.
Family stories are always better when you’re remembering them with your cousins, laughing hard over someone’s mishaps and joking about all those funny things you did.
This is important because family stories shape us, they pass long family values from one generation to another. Those memories are priceless, and you always think of them with a smile on your face.
The role of cousins in family stories doesn’t have to end with childhood. By reconnecting with important people in your life, you can create many other stories and memories.
At the same time, your child can have the first-hand experience of the importance of making memories with his/her cousins.
Networking
Benefits of socializing are numerous, including prevention of depression and improved cognitive abilities. Some people are social butterflies while others don’t feel comfortable around people, especially unknown persons.
Cousins make networking easy because regardless of where you are or who’s around you, there’s still that one person (or more of them) you know and it makes you feel more comfortable.
Also, if you have a child who’s shy and doesn’t feel comfortable around people, you can help them improve social skills through socializing and networking with their cousins.
They’ll feel more comfortable hanging out with other kids when their cousins are nearby.
The More, The Merrier
Some families are big, while others aren’t. But, it’s not just about the number. Being out of touch with your cousins usually means you’re celebrating important moments and events without people who were, once, a big part of your life.
Even when you’re happy and everything’s going smoothly, there’s still that feeling of emptiness or a little voice in your head reminding you something’s missing. Cousins, even if it’s just one, give a whole new meaning to events in your life.
The happiest are those moments you can share with your family. This is beneficial for your child as well. It reminds him/her that family is always important, regardless of how successful they become or things they get to do.
How To Stay In Contact With Cousins?
When you have a busy lifestyle and many things to do all the time, it can be difficult to stay in touch with people in your life, including cousins. This is nothing unusual, so don’t feel bad.
All of us experience the same problem at one point or another. In fact, you can change the situation and reconnect with your cousins, especially if you have a child.
The best way to ensure your kid adopts some family values is to lead by example. If you want your child to stay close to his/her cousins, then make sure you reconnect with your cousin again.
Below, you can see some tips that will help you make it happen:
- Make visiting a priority; stop by whenever you can
- Feeling like postponing dinner at your cousin’s house? Treat it like any other commitment you can’t miss
- Invite your cousins over for dinner
- Instead of liking posts on social media, use these websites to reconnect through video calls (or regular call for that matter)
- Be a good listener, when your cousin talks about his/her problems, make sure you listen carefully. You don’t want to be that one cousin who’s never there for others
- Arrange an annual reunion, it can be a fun tradition
- Send a text from time to time just because
- Send Christmas and birthday cards
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Conclusion
Cousins are basically like our siblings. They know how the family operates, how other family members think and act. You and your cousins have spent countless moments together and made wonderful memories.
That’s why it is important to stay in touch with cousins or reconnect again. Your children need the same environment, happy moments with their cousins, and memories they’ll talk about when they grow up.
Therefore, nurture family relationships because of they indeed, bring joy to your life.
Feature Image Credit: shutterstock.com/
In-post Image Credit: shutterstock.com/
