Colman Noctor: Building bridges with extended family paves the way for confident children

Extended family paves the way for confident children

Colma Noctor: "In my clinic, I often encourage young people to enlist the help of an aunt, uncle, or older cousin to support them through something they prefer not to discuss with their parents." Picture: iStock.

My youngest son turned ten last week, and we had some cake to celebrate his birthday at my parents’ house. It was one of those rare occasions when my siblings and their children were free to come. My son commented afterwards how great it was to have “everyone in the same room”. It reminded me how important it is to make time for those shared experiences with extended family members.

When I was growing up, my aunts, uncles, and grandparents regularly visited our house. Whether it was my grandparents visiting for Sunday dinner or Uncle John, who always arrived with a pack of Rolos for my sisters and me, we got to know our extended family very well. These experiences made me more secure and confident in the company of adults. However, this is not the case with my children, who have little exposure to their extended family on my side, as, like many others, my parents and siblings do not live nearby.