Final answer:
Avuncular describes someone acting like an uncle, with kindness and friendliness, often filling a supportive role in a child's upbringing. The term has embraced the shifting structure of families, where parenting roles can be fulfilled by non-biological relatives or close family friends, reflecting an expansion of traditional kinship.
Step-by-step explanation:
Avuncular refers to the kind and friendly manner of an uncle interacting with his nieces or nephews. In the provided context, although Martin was not biologically related to the children, he played a role similar to that of an uncle, offering guidance, support, and affection in their upbringing. This term has evolved alongside the changing dynamics of family structures, where roles such as parents, mother, and father have become more flexible and inclusive of non-biological relationships.
In modern family dynamics, the extended family, which includes relatives like aunts, uncles, and cousins, might step into the parenting roles in the absence of biological parents. Similarly, non-relative relationships, such as those with foster parents or godparents, often become an integral part of a child's support system, reflecting the notion of fictive kinship.