Are you a PANK?
By Reesers
@Reesers (1387)
United States
September 7, 2008 4:40pm CST
I know, it sounds naughty, but I swear it isn't!
Yesterday I was reading an article about the new group of shoppers the marketing people have their eyes on - PANKs. It stands for Professional Aunt No Kids. Essentially a PANK is someone who spoils their nieces, nephews, godchildren, or even the child of a friend or co-worker.
I am definitely a PANK. My favorite person in the world is my nephew. He's 8 and I have been known to spoil him. He's my little buddy. He lives so far away but I guess that could be a good thing or he'd be even more spoiled than he is now!
I'd like to be that kind of aunt to my nieces as well and I once was. But since their mother divorced my brother, she won't allow it. Just recently I found them on Myspace, so I hope one day we can be close again. I'm ready to spoil them again.
Is anyone else a PANK?
1 person likes this
4 responses
@SaintAnne (5453)
• United States
9 Sep 08
Not me. My siblings and I are old enough to have kids but somehow we haven't made our parents grandparents just yet. They're teasing me that I might be the first one to do so even though I am the youngest.
Anyway, I always find it amusing and scary how marketing people come up with these new consumer demographics.
I'm sorry that your former sister in-law won't allow you to be that aunt to your nieces. I may be out of line here by saying this but I can't understand why she would deprive her daughters of an aunt who has good intentions. Even if some of my paternal cousins' meddling helped lead to my parents' divorce, my mother never forbade us to spend time with them. She said the issue was between them and not between us and our cousins. Take care PANK.
@Reesers (1387)
• United States
15 Sep 08
Sorry it took so long to answer. I've been busy and I'm now I'm trying to catch up.
My brother's marriage to her was doomed from the beginning. Everyone said it wouldn't last and he finally said he never really loved her. I think she just liked having someone to boss around. I think she's punishing us (myself and my parents) because of my brother. She's done everything to make sure he's not in their lives. But as they get older, I'm hoping they'll realize that their dad DOES care about them and will want to see him. They're teenagers now and will be able to think for themselves.
@SaintAnne (5453)
• United States
15 Sep 08
Thanks for the BR, Reesers. I hope you're getting some relaxation from your busy schedule. Well, I hope you, your brother and his children reconnect again now that they're a bit older and can figure things out for themselves. Take care!
@carolbee (16230)
• United States
8 Sep 08
Actually I am not a pank. We have a total of 6 nieces and nephews but don't see them on a regular basis. They are all grown now and busy with their own lives. None of them are married and they all live in our town but we rarely see them. It's unfortunate because I wasn't a big part of their lives. No bad blood between any of us but just different lives.
@Reesers (1387)
• United States
9 Sep 08
That's understandable. I'm the say way with some of my relatives, especially my cousins. Now and then I might see them but it's mostly just updates passed on by my uncle.
By the way, I responded to your message the other day but I'm not sure if it went through or not. If it didn't, then I'm having a problem with them. I tried responding to someone else once before and it didn't go through.
@mymelodake (1338)
• Philippines
16 Sep 08
hahah i'm not a PANK, but my sister definitely is! she spoils our 5 year old niece by giving her stickers and cute stuff. i also give her cute stuff once in a while but we're not as close.
