Explaining cousin relationships

[razz]

DH and I were trying to figure out how one explained a first cousin vs a second vs a once removed first cousin.

If anyone else has had this same discussion, you might find this link interesting to help understand the wording used in talking about cousins.
http://www.obliquity.com/family/misc/cousin.html

[Kathy WI]

That's kind of weird...I always call all my cousin's kids "second cousins" because I thought that's what it meant. What makes a cousin "once removed" anyway? All my cousins are much older than I am, and their kids are closer to my age. I thought they were "second cousins" but this chart says they are "first cousins once removed". They would be "second cousins" to my kid. I think I'll just call them all "cousins".

[cdttmm]

Once removed simply means the person is one generation older or younger than you are. For instance, your parents' first cousins are your first cousins once removed because of the one generational difference. Your cousins' children are your first cousins once removed because of the one generational difference. Your children and your cousins' children would be second cousins. No removing involved there as they are from the same generation. It gets harder to keep track when the age differences are larger.