My sister in law just had a baby and he lives really far away. My sister has three kids and she lives five blocks away. I really want my new little nephew to know me and know how much I love him. The problem is, I have never met him (he is only seven days old as I am writing this article) and I will probably never have the luxury of proximity that I have with my sister’s kids. It is really tough to be a loving aunt from three thousand miles away. So much happens in the day to day of a baby’s life that unless you are there, you are missing out.

For those of you who, like me, want to have a big impact on a little kid living far away, here are some coaching tips:

Don’t tell yourself that the baby will “never” get to know you. There is a lot of power in believing that you can make an impact. Tell yourself that the baby will love you- and it will!

Get virtual. Buy yourself and your sibling a great web cam. You can watch this kid grow from wherever you are.

Buy some love. If you want this baby to know who you are, make sure to keep making your presence felt by sending them stuff. It doesn’t have to be expensive stuff but a little spoiling goes a long way.

Get a great long distance plan. Call like crazy so that you feel a part of this little person’s life. When they get old enough, start talking to them.

Make your time together count. When you do get to spend some time together, make sure to get in there and take care of that little baby. There is a lot of bonding that happens when you are changing a diaper.

Although I haven’t gotten my hands on him yet, that little boy is absolutely adored by his auntie Cheryl. Whether he likes it or not, he is going to love me back!