Childless aunts and uncles are more selfish than parents—I know that firsthand—since we only need to focus on our own lives. We tend to be impatient with children and find it hard to work around a kid’s needs. We have difficulty giving up our comfortable routines and lives to cater to other people’s needs. Being responsible for a child, even for a few hours can be daunting and scary. I used to be plagued by fear: What if my niece falls and breaks her leg on my watch? What if she gets food poisoning because of something I fed her? What if she tumbles down the stairs at night when I’m asleep?
