Only Child Project General Discussion

You can ask questions, post comments and answer other parents’ questions.

Topic

[Melissa]

Nicole:

Ditto on that!!!

“sometimes i feel like i am one of very few parents with an only and it can be isolating.

Looking forward to future discussions!”

This is a good site, maybe one of the few on the internet. It is good to realise that we are not alone and it’s OK and even great to have an only child.
🙂

[Melissa]

To admin: That makes a lot of sense!!!
Thanks!
I haven’t been on the home page for a while. I didn’t know we had a lot of visitors not posting.

I really appreciate the site.
Blessings everyone!

[Nicole]

Hi admin….. Your post make more sense now 🙂

I have posted a few times, but i know it took me a while to sort out my thoughts and a few visits to finally get to a stage where i could write what was on my mind etc. I find there are a lot of feelings and thoughts to process.

I know that i love contributions people make because sometimes i feel like i am one of very few parents with an only and it can be isolating.

Looking forward to future discussions!

[adminKeymaster]

Sorry Melissa 🙂
We have a lot of visitors coming in everyday, but very very few postings. Those lines were sitting on the main page (home page- where it made better sense) and got cut and pasted here to “encourage” folks to post. Yep, I agree that the wording looks funny sitting right inside the discussion area.

Will transplant or re-word soon.

[Melissa]

Hi admin, don’t you think people are speaking freely???
Whom are you addressing??

[adminKeymaster]

Thanks everyone for posting your personal experience here.

We have way much more visitors than posters. For those who aren’t considering sharing their experience and feelings: When you write things down, it helps you better understand your problems and concerns. Its like therapy :))

[Rebekah]

Hi Parents of only kids! Great reading all your comments. My husband and I have a gorgeous 2 year old son (who wasn’t planned) and we’ve gone through so much angst wondering if we ‘should’ have a second child. We have nearly come to peace with the fact that Callum will be absolutely fine with his cousins, friends and eventually, pets. I say ‘nearly’ because I just adore kids of all ages and am very clucky with babies. But…we both have careers and although I work only part-time it’s still a juggling act, plus we’re both ‘older’ (I’m 36 and hubby 44).
Plus being the oldest of 3 girls, I can say that having siblings does not automatically mean a blissful childhood as I really clashed with my second sister but got along well with the youngest (what if my Mum had stopped at 2??)
Ciec – I totally know how you feel with the guilt feelings and torturing yourself about whether to have a second or not. Research on onlies and talking to others too has helped me to realise an only child will do just fine. Still a hard process though. Good luck 🙂

Bek from Western Australia

[K-B]

It’s great to see this site and to read all of your opinions on this subject. I have a 7 year old boy and often wonder if having only one was the right thing to do for him – I know really that it was right for me. My son is so happy and well adjusted and sociable so God knows why I worry so! There is so much societal pressure to have more than one – I have a brother who is 3 years older than me and we loathed each other through childhood, and now have a phone conversation about once a year which usually has me grinding my teeth with irritation even then – yet still I fall for the “happy-2-child-family-straight-out-of-cereal-packet-advertisement” as though that’s the ideal family. It’s not. Every family has it’s pros and cons and we should be firm in our convictions, arrange lots of playdates, and love our children without worrying how they’ll cope alone once we’re gone. My brother wasn’t there for me when our father died, but my best friend and my husband were. Encourage close friendships, even from the youngest age, and they’ll never be alone. Parental guilt, even when there is nothing to feel guilty about, is such a strong emotion – we must bash it on the head!

[Katharine]

Hello,

My husband and I have one daughter Emily who is 7. I know this does souldn selfish, but I love taking her to gymnastics or dance and being able to watch her or read a book and not be distracted by a toddler or another child. I also love that when she is at a sleepover my husband and I get alone time.

I know these things sound selfish, but my husband and I are both introverted and do best with lots of alone time. I think we would be stressed out and unhappy if we had more children to appease others around us. I think people know what is right for their family.

Glad to have found this sight and look forward to the comments of others.

Katharine
in Texas

[Anonymous]

I am glad to have found this site. My husband and I are parents to an only child, a boy named Mason! I will be returning to this site regularly for the articles and discussions!!

[Author]

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