The Therapeutic Joy of Cousin Time: A Summer Tradition
Therapy can be expensive, but spending time with your cousins can be equally therapeutic. These amazing cousins are true friends who know you inside and out. Having fun with them makes you realize why God didn’t make you siblings — perhaps because a single mother couldn’t handle you all!
In India, summer vacations are synonymous with cousin time. It’s either at your nanihaal (maternal grandparents’ home) or dadighar (paternal grandparents’ home). It’s always nanihaal or dadighar, not nanahaal or dadaghar, because the ladies who call themselves nani and dadi are beacons of love and oceans of care. They protect us from our mother’s punishments — not often, but always. They are the only ones who can shout at your mother.
My nanihaal is my favorite for a simple reason: I am happier and feel more magical there. I am happier because I am the eldest, so my opinion is often the final decision. I feel magical because I get to play versatile roles. As the eldest, I have a sweet sixteen cousin, so I have to be more of a friend than an elder sister to her. I listen to her stories about crushes and teenage drama while advising her on the joys of being single. Listening to her takes me down my own teenage memory lane, and I try to teach her from my experiences, sharing my mistakes and lessons.
She is a fantastic Kathak dancer, so I often dance with her even though I’m not particularly fond of it. She loves reading fictional novels, and I’ve nicknamed her “Novelworm Shru.” To compete with her, I find myself reading a variety of novels, even during vacations.
On the other hand, I have cousins who are just babies — six or seven years old. Initially, I struggled to understand their baby language, which annoyed me. Now, I love speaking with them about cartoons. I adore these baby cousins a little more than my teenage ones because I have seen them grow up. I have held their cute little hands and feet, and now I play with those same hands. I relive my childhood with them, whether it’s painting or playing with clay. I do it all with fun, watching cartoons and listening to stories from nani.
The time spent at nanihaal is nothing short of therapy for me, an individual in my early twenties. If you’re missing your cousins after reading this, ring them up or ping them. Tell them that they make nanihaal a better place and thank them for being your unpaid therapists.
