ONLY CHILDREN, LONELY CHILDREN .... I DON'T THINK SO !!!

Yesterday afternoon I was sitting chatting with some mums at an "End-of-Netball-Season - We-Finished-On-Top-Of-The-Ladder" celebration at the local wave pool. Somehow we got chatting about "Only Children". Now, I am an only child, was never a lonely child, nor a "spoilt brat" (as only children are often called). I grew up in a street with heaps of kids to play with, had heaps of cousins .... our house was always full of kids, it was great. I never suffered as an only child, and was always amazed by those kids who had problems with being only children, or the parents who felt sorry for me for being an only child. It was never an issue for me.

It was never a conscious decision that we made, but my husband and I are also parents of an only child, and are happy with the decision we have made to only have one child. Our 11yo daughter (I'll call her "Chicky", to keep her anonymity!) is quite comfortable, also, being an only child, and never complains about having no siblings. She has lots of friends, and is well liked amongst her peers. As I was, she is also fortunate that we live in a street with lots of kids, so there is always someone for her to play with. She is a very social child, who gets along really well with kids of all ages, and has no problems approaching kids she doesn't know to make friends. She also gets along really well with adults, which I think is a bonus. Most people, on first impressions, are not aware that she is an "only child", as she is not anything like the stereo-type.

I guess, as she was growing up, I was always very paranoid about her becoming the stereo-typical only child, so made sure that she was well "socialized" so as not to become a loner. We have made a point to not jump to her every whim (the "spoilt brat" thing really worried me). And she knows that money doesn't grow on trees, it has to be worked for and earned. According to comments from other parents, when Chicky has been over at their homes for "play-dates" with their children, she has displayed nothing but "normal" behaviour, is very polite, remembers her manners, and is over-all a very nice kid. Of course, she IS a kid, so we also experience the not-so-nice stuff, on occasions, that all parents of multiple children also experience. She is, after all, just a normal kid ... only child, definitely not lonely child.

In this day and age, I think we will find more families opting to have only one child. With the cost of living being what it is, it is easier to provide the best you can for only one child. That being said, I greatly admire parents who have chosen to have more than one child. I imagine it is a challenge, but a wonderful challenge. Also, if one child gives huge amounts of love and cuddles, I guess multiple children give the love and cuddles in multiples too !!!!

I think we all need to just love and appreciate what we have, as with times being what they are, who knows what we may find around the corner.

Take Care, Until Next Time,

MEOW