diff --git a/src/scene/src/entity.cpp b/src/scene/src/entity.cpp
index bf03ddd..6e4deb7 100644
--- a/src/scene/src/entity.cpp
+++ b/src/scene/src/entity.cpp
@@ -26,11 +26,11 @@ void entity::add_child(entity& child)
     // TODO: check circular dependencies
 
     // declare child relationship
-    auto r = get_or_create_component<relationship>();
+    auto& r = get_or_create_component<relationship>();
     r.children.push_back(child._entity);
 
     // declare parent
-    auto p_r = child.get_or_create_component<relationship>();
+    auto& p_r = child.get_or_create_component<relationship>();
     p_r.parent = _entity;
 }
 
@@ -45,13 +45,13 @@ void entity::remove_child(entity& child)
     if (has_component<relationship>() && child.has_component<relationship>())
     {
         // we need to check if the child is related to the parent
-        auto r_p = child.get_component<relationship>();
+        auto& r_p = child.get_component<relationship>();
         if (r_p.parent == _entity)
         {
             // now go ahead
             r_p.parent = entt::null;
 
-            auto r = get_component<relationship>();
+            auto& r = get_component<relationship>();
             std::remove(r.children.begin(),r.children.end(),child._entity);
 
         }