If you are an only child please open-quick question

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Replies

  • Pocket_Pixi
    Pocket_Pixi Posts: 1,167 Member
    I am not an only child, but I do have several friends who are. They all say the same thing "I wouldn't change anything about my life but sometimes it would be nice to have a sibling to confide in once and a while."


    I am the oldest of 5 (3 biological and one step sister) we range in age from 29 - 18 the 2 youngest being 18 and 19 but they are not close at all as the 19 year old lived with her mother and never had much to do with us. I asked my youngest brother e once if he wished there was someone his age that he could talk to and have tons of "remember when we were kids memories" and you know what he told me? Nope, he has tons of stories most of which are way better because I was driving by the the time he was able to do things with us and he has "remember when I was younger and we went here?? or did this??" He just turned 18 in March and to be honest... I am closer to him than I am my brother that is about 18 months younger than me... and him and the brother that have an 8 year gap are really super close ... so don't worry about any age gaps if you do decide to have any more kids.
  • Sweet_Pandora
    Sweet_Pandora Posts: 459 Member
    I have one sister that is 16 years older than I and moved out when she was 20 so I grew up as an only child and hated it. I was always envious of my friends with siblings. When my sister would visit it was like having an Aunt. .

    As an adult with an older sister, I now wish I was an only child.

    My daughter is an only child and when she was younger she used to beg for a little brother or sister. Now that she is a teenager she loves it. She says she couldn't imagine having to share her Mom or her bathroom!

    Best wishes with your decision.

    Karen
  • yhernandezphx
    yhernandezphx Posts: 18 Member
    im an only child. it was nice, but i have 3 kids and i love seeing them interact/play/and love each other
  • kennie2
    kennie2 Posts: 1,170 Member
    i was an only child till 10 and hated it
    then i got my step brothes and step sisters
    and boy was it sweet being an only child lol
  • ActiveGuy81
    ActiveGuy81 Posts: 705 Member
    I was an only child and yes I wish I had a brother or sister that we could have done things together. But I had cousins around my age and was never a loner or anything. I think being an only child made me more independent.
  • I enjoyed being an only child but then again, my parents constantly had me involved in activities where I was with lots of other kids. This went beyond the normal sports and after school programs. For a few years there I felt absolutely inundated by other kids. LOL! I was thrilled for the quiet solitude of having no siblings. As an adult, being an only child has been wonderful. There is never any debate over who will be responsible for my parents and there is absolutely no sibling drama (which I see a lot of in my in-laws and friends).
  • Hernandeak11
    Hernandeak11 Posts: 351 Member
    I always thought I would have two children, because that's the kind of household I grew up in. I also wanted a 'baby sibling' when I was that age, but now that I'm older, I don't really care one way or another.

    My boyfriend was an only child, and he really enjoyed it. He liked the fact that his parents could put all their effort into supporting him and his accomplishments.

    We both turned out very-well, so really, it's up to you if you want to have another child. I bet your daughter will be fantastic either way.

    *Note, his parents divorced when he was 13, mine are still married.
  • shannypoo21
    shannypoo21 Posts: 329 Member
    I'm my mother's only child but I do have siblings that I weren't raised with. In all honesty I really wished my mom would have had a least one more kid. Nothing like a sibling bond and growing up with them. God bless you and your family in whatever decision yall make.
  • LeenaRuns
    LeenaRuns Posts: 1,309 Member
    I loved being an only child! I mean, sure, sometimes I wanted a sibling, but I think overall it was awesome. I have an almost 2-year-old, and he's going to be it for me!
  • oddyogi
    oddyogi Posts: 1,816 Member
    I always wanted a brother or sister but if I had kids nowadays I would only have one.

    Now that I look back on it, I liked being an only child. The only thing that I would have liked a sibling for is to help with remembering my childhood.

    I agree with the above poster, I think it made me more independent.
  • DaBossLady24
    DaBossLady24 Posts: 556 Member
    This is just my personal experience, but I loved/still love being an only child. My parents were worried about the whole "she's going to be spoiled and have no friends, blah blah blah" thing BUT I have a ton of cousins and actually have been super outgoing for my entire life so the whole friend issue was never a problem. That happens when you're involved in a bunch of activities, sports, and such! Plus, it's always great to have some "me time" every once in a while.

    Not gonna lie though, I wanted brothers and sisters SO badly as a kid but I'm so glad that didn't happen... Being spoiled isn't always a bad thing. I quickly realized that they're not technically spoiling me... they just have only one perfect child to spend their money on :laugh:
  • susannahcooks
    susannahcooks Posts: 293 Member
    I think as an only child I matured faster than other kids - was around my parents alot more without a built-in playmate. I had lots of kids on my street so didn't - at the time- feel like i was missing much. Now, as an adult with maturing parents, it would be nice if I had a sibling to talk to about long-term plans around taking care of my parents - and helping them take care of my grandparents. I have a very close cousin though, and so its not totally lost. I think whatever decision you make needs to be based on what you want though. Ultimately if your child/ren are loved and cared for, it won't matter how many of them, they'll be fine and well-adjusted.
  • Sepheara
    Sepheara Posts: 208 Member
    my mom spaced us out by 8 years. when I was 6 or 7 I wanted a brother really really bad, but when I was 8 and my brother was born I was just like "meh". when I was 16 and my youngest brother was born the middle brother didn't care, and I was super excited cuz I had a job and I wanted to buy lots of stuff for him. I would say we all love each other, but because of the age difference we never really bonded very well, I mean I only see my brothers on major holidays, and they fight like cats and dogs, but maybe that's just a boy thing.
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    I've never experienced any disadvantages from being an only child and can't remember ever wanting a sibling. I do have a bit of a fascination for other people's siblings, though, and always like to try and work out hereditary appearance and personality traits!
  • JennW130
    JennW130 Posts: 460 Member
    i was an only child growing up, and i was perfectly happy. I have 2 kids, and thats all i plan on having.
  • LindaCWy
    LindaCWy Posts: 463 Member
    get her a puppy instead?
  • MadeOfMagic
    MadeOfMagic Posts: 525 Member
    I was sort of an "only child". My brother is 10 years older than me, so even now we don't really talk. I worry the age gap is already too big (this is just my opinion though) but they would end up being nearly 7 years apart. So if they are anything like me and my brother, they wont really feel like "siblings". I love the guy, but he moved out by the time we were able to actually have conversations and now we just see each other on holiday. So, if you are going to have another child, just remember that. The age gap may be too big. This doesn't go for everyone though!

    I actually have to agree with this,I was the only child until I got adopted at 11, my parent already had a daughter and adopted a boy too. My sister is 13 yrs older and my brother is 4 years older, both moved out of the house before I really got to bond with them on that level. I only see them on holidays as well, and though I would love to have a close relationship with both but the age difference sorta ruins it, because we couldn't enjoy the same things cause of the age difference. Don't get me wrong I love them to death but I didn't really get to bond with them.

    If you're open to adoption you should do that so she can a sister close to her age to play with, I wish my sister was closer to my age because we would have had so much fun together but I guess I have friends to do that with now :P

    I would have loved being the only child too though, because my siblings always got everything they wanted, my brother would get away with DUIs/Drugs/Totalling 3 cars and not get punished but I would get punished if I didn't clean my room, it was complete utter bull sh**, because I was the youngest I got treated the ****iest, my parents literally ended up ruining my life so I haven't talked/seen my parents in over 3 years,I only talk with my sister and brother. I hated being the youngest, they say you get spoiled as the "baby" of the family but you don't. If my brother and my sister were closer to my age, than my parents wouldn't treat us all so differently.
  • SKP1986
    SKP1986 Posts: 392 Member
    I was an only child and have no regrets. I never wanted a sibling because I was always kind of a loner anyway. I entertained myself and had plenty of friends that I could play with if I wanted someone else to be in on my games. I recognize that if there had been a sibling in the pictures, funds would have been tighter and my family wouldn't have gotten to do a lot of things that we did get to do.

    I'm definitely more independent - dunno if that's a good thing or a bad thing, though as I don't really like being forced to work with other people on projects/research/whatever. It has made me more efficient when i know I have to do something alone, though, and I like being the one in control of stuff like that.

    If I could go back there is no way I would change it. Being an only afforded me opportunities I never would have seen had I had siblings.
  • dancngdolfn
    dancngdolfn Posts: 81 Member
    I'm not an only child either but my husband is, and i agree with you totally. I think there should be more than 1 child. Not trying to offend anyone just my opinion.
  • Diary_Queen
    Diary_Queen Posts: 1,314 Member
    As an only child, I didn't want any siblings and was very glad growing up that I didn't have any. Now, I kinda wish I did.... my parents are getting older and I can see where it's difficult for me to take care of them, my kids and myself without help. Sometimes, I would like to have a sibling - I'm in my 30s though... it wasn't for me when I was 6!
  • hagamivida
    hagamivida Posts: 129
    Would have liked someone else, but I got more than enough attention. I was quite pleased as an only child and I think I'd have been equally pleased with a sibling.
  • joauri
    joauri Posts: 10 Member
    I am an only child. I am very grateful to be an only child. My parents were able to put extra effort (and money) into my education and upbringing that I feel would not have been there had they had another child. When I was young, I wanted a sibling to play with desperately.

    However, now I have two daughters almost three years apart and they fight like crazy. There will be days where they do nothing but play together and others they can't get far enough away from each other. It is strange.
  • jsapninz
    jsapninz Posts: 909 Member
    I think it is a travesty for children to not have any siblings.

    As a child it is important to learn to love others and share, and siblings are a great opportunity for this. As you age, having siblings can open up the possibility that your own children will have their own family (cousin's, etc) as well.

    There are so many important reasons for a child to have siblings, I could go on and on. The only reason against it is: so the one kid can have more stuff, and the parents don't have to work as hard.

    Family is one of the great joys in life; the more the merrier (within reason, DUGGARS).
  • jenniebean1680
    jenniebean1680 Posts: 350 Member
    when I was growing up, I always wanted a sibling. Now I'm happy as an only.

    The thing is, because I spent so much time just w/ my parents and their friends, it meant I didn't really identify with many other kids my age until late highschool. No real loss to me right now, but I did feel very "other" back then. But if you and the fiance have friends or family w/ kids that should help w/ that.

    In response to the post about benefiting from advice from a sibling in our adult years, I agree, however, having just lost my Mom last June, having the estate stuff fall only on my shoulders was, in some ways, a blessing. No arguing about who gets what, no waiting for sibling to sign some document or other, etc. That said, my father is a real piece of work, emotional trainwreck, etc... So to have someone to share that burden with would be nice.

    I think there are perks and drawbacks to both!
  • amymt10
    amymt10 Posts: 271 Member
    I'm not an only child but I can the age gap between siblings doesnt always matter. My youngest brother and I are 9 yrs apart. He followed me everywhere when he was little and I loved it. When he was a teenager we didnt do much together but now that he is 26 and I'm 35 the age gap doesnt matter, we get along great and hang out. I actually have less in common w/my other brother and he is 14mos younger than me, him and I dont speak. We just dont get along!
  • chcoley
    chcoley Posts: 63 Member
    I'm an only child and so is my husband. We both agree we would have liked to have a sibling (which is why we have three little girls!).
  • I'm another only child. My parents moved house a lot, so I didn't get to have any friends for more than a couple of years at a time either. My parents were always busy with their business, so school summer holidays were when I got to spend 6 straight weeks with no-one to talk to: I hated it and always wanted a sibling. I have 3 children - there was no way I was going to inflict being an only child on any child of mine.
  • fitacct
    fitacct Posts: 242 Member
    I am an only child and I had an only child. When I was young, I had lots of friends and relatives my age to play with yet I longed for a sibling. This was true even as I got older as I saw my friends and family form close bonds with their brothers and sisters. Then again, I wasn't caught up in sibling rivalry and all the drama that brings. I guess it is like a double-edged sword. I do enjoy my alone time but feel, and have always felt, like something was missing. I always said I would never have an only child and, yet, I did...not by choice, but circumstance. My "child", who is an adult now, is a loner and because of having an extremely small extended family here, I feel he has missed out on the joys a larger family and siblings would have provided.
  • leannems
    leannems Posts: 516 Member
    I'm a true only child. My mom was an only child as well, and my dad had one sibling.

    I have never once regretted not having a sibling, or wished that my parents had another child. Now don't get me wrong, I wouldn't say that I preferred being an only child - but it simply was what it was, and my childhood was great. I did make friends with another only child when I was 5, and we're still very close to this day.

    I will say my folks made sure I joined a lot of things to get friends my own age, and you would never call me shy. I am also closer to my parents then most people I know, but I'm not sure if that's a product of being an only child or a testament to how awesome my parents are (the latter is certainly true).

    I will say - fiscally - I got to do a lot more things, stay in college a lot longer with the aide of parents, go on trips overseas - study abroad - all of that - because I was an only child. My parents were free to spend the money on me - which was pretty awesome. If you called that spoiled - maybe it is - by spoiling a child on experiences that made me more culturally aware of my world was pretty great. I did NOT get all the toys I wanted - no spoilage there - but if I wanted to travel or try something new - the backing was there.
  • saturnine15
    saturnine15 Posts: 140
    I am an only child. I can say that being an only child made me learn how to find ways to amuse myself when I was a child, since I never had a brother or sister to play. The downside of this is that when I became older I didn't see much use for having friends because I could have just as much fun alone as I could with other people. Therefore I didn't really have any desire to meet new people, and it wasn't because I was shy, I just didn't see any reason to. So that made me a little anti-social. Still am today, but I don't recognize that as being a bad thing like most people do, it just makes me different.

    Like I said before, I do have a significantly younger brother, but I definitely have the above qualities. I don't dislike other people- I just sometimes forget that people want and NEED friends to be around them regularly. The needing part doesn't register in my brain at all. I do have friends, but I usually met them through significant others and generally have infrequent contact. I have never had a lifelong best friend (I moved a lot growing up). This was something that was actually hard for me to understand when I met my husband. He has three brothers and best friends he NEEDS to see. That sort of thing just didn't compute for a while. Only children, or people who spent most of their childhood without siblings are usually the only ones who understand this sentiment.