How do I introduce/explain my new expanded family?

[Busy Mommy PM]

I recently took in my niece, She's 12 1/2. I'm too young for her to be mistaken for mine. She calls me by my first name, and isn't my child, but is a very important part of my family. How do I introduce my new family without getting into all the details of the how and why, and for her to not feel like an outsider...

Example- Preschool Director: Oh is that your older daughter? Me: No, she's my niece PD: Oh so you're coming to visit your cousin how sweet of your aunt to take you around....

Or at the grocery store: Old high school friend- Look at you two kids already?! Meops gotta go...

I don't know how to respond to these inquiries...
This is it, there are no plans for her to live anywhere else until she goes to college

 

[Love Me or Hate Me PM]

you can just say what others have suggested...

"oh, No..not my daughter, my niece, she lives with me..i am raising her... and just leave it at that....if a nosey person inquires more info..just say..oh, well it's a really long story and don't have time to get into it...

 

[desmeran (emeritus)]

haven't been in that situation, but i'd try "this is my niece who lives with us."

people are nosy and i doubt the question will just go away. i can see how it would be annoying, but i think i'd just answer as briefly as possible so i could move on to something else.

 

[Mommy of 5]

if she is going to be with you for a long period of time don't bother explaining anything. If someone thinks she is yours and the person if of no importance to you let them think she is yours. Who is it going to hurt? And you wouldn't have to go through explaining it over and over again.

Like the old school friend if you hardly see this person you could say "yep and aren't they beautiful, wouldn't trade them for anything in the world". Or "yes this is X and this is X."

 

[sweetheart]

Just stay cool and keep it simple. Smile and say, "Oh, this is my niece. She'll be living with me now."

Only an extremely rude and nosy person would ask further questions. Generally, people will smile and respond with, "Oh, ok!"

 

[Lea~ is a "Mean Girl"~]

I would just keep it casual and simple, and say "Oh this is my niece N, she and lives with B and I", or "No not my daughter, she's my niece, but we're very close!"

If they ask why she's living you, depending on what you're comfortable discussing you could say for "personal reasons/because it's the best place for her to be right now/we've always been very close so I thought it would be nice for her to move in with us", etc.
Hopefully they will get the message that it's a personal matter!