My kids recently received a care package from their cousins in California. The care package included some clothes, treats, and sweet hand written notes. The simple gesture reminded me of why I have always wanted my kids to live near their cousins. But, unfortunately we do not.  My kids currently have 7 cousins with most of them being the same age, which is perfect for playing and bonding. Many of their cousins live around the San Francisco bay area, which is far from Ohio so we don’t see them often.

Growing up, it was just my sister and me. But, it never felt lonely because we were blessed with over a dozen of cousins who we are close to even as adults. Every holiday was lively, fun and festive with lots of people around.  As a kid, I played with my cousins after school and on the weekends. It was so natural for them to be our primary playmates vs. kids in the neighborhood or school friends. During the summer, we spent countless hours together in the backyard or at the pool together. It’s one of the reasons why I wanted to have a big family. For me, happiness is being at home with lots of family providing endless chatter and laughter.  

Before we had kids, we contemplated moving to California so our kids could grow up near their cousins. Also let’s be honest, it would also be useful to have someone to drop my kids off to for a few hours if needed! We choose to stay in Ohio for many reasons – one of which is how family friendly the Midwest is.  I especially love the distinctive four seasons of the year with every season offering it’s unique fun activities and sceneries.  Plus, my husband really enjoyed his job in Ohio, and it didn’t make financial sense to move. While these reasons are logically sound, I still lament on occasions like this about how wonderful it would be for my kids to live near their cousins. I feel it distinctly during visits to California where I see how excited my kids are playing with their cousins.

How about you fellow parents? Is it important for you to live near extended family or are you in the camp of the further the better?