only children

[zzxxee]

My friend and her partner have an eight year old daughter. By choice she will be an only child, do you think this is a good decision or selfish on their part ?.
She would love a brother or sister, but mum or dad are really into their careers
I personally think its a case of whatever works for you is ok..

[zzxxee]

apologies it is in the wrong category !!!!

[squarebear]

I'm sure she would love a pony too. It's up to the parents not the child.

[zzxxee]

agreed squarebear lol.

[cazzz1975]

with a minimum of an 8 year gap I think they would be a bit detached, I am going on my 9 year age gap between me and my brother

[LoftyLottie]

I am an only child and have an only child. Both by choice. I am happy to be an only child, I had loads of friends and a happy childhood and certainly wasn't spoiled. Same goes for my son. Brothers and sisters are not necessarily going to get on.

But as you say, whatever works for you.

[woofgang]

she might well love to have a sib in the abstract, but if she doesn't like it in the concrete then you can't send a babe back....such decisions are absolutely the sphere of the adults involved

[craft1948]

My daughter is an only child and when she was younger I felt slightly guilty, she actually went through a phase of pretending she had a younger brother. However, now she is older she has said she loved being an only child as she was spoilt with attention (not money). her best friend was an only child so we used to take him on holidays with us, and she used to go away with his family as well.

[zzxxee]

i do feel a little sorry for her at times, dad takes her to school, child minder collects her. mum and dad dont get home till 6.30. Friday nights she is down grans, so the only full day mum and dad are at home is sunday. I often feel she is sometimes bored during the school holidays as she is with gran all week in the day.

[LoftyLottie]

I seemed to be the one who ended up with a houseful of children!

I have found that only children seem to grow up faster, be more articulate and are very self sufficient. Also probably our expections of good behaviour are increased with only children.

Obviously this wouldn't apply to all.

[zzxxee]

i have two children but with a six year age gap. My daughter was totally shocked at having to share with someone after being on her own for 6 years !!

[LoftyLottie]

Mmmm, I see what you mean, seems rather a lonely life zzxxee. However, it wouldn't necessarily follow that a sibling would improve things.

I loved school holidays with my child, we did loads and he always did have lots of friends too. What he says he liked about being an only child was having time to himself when he wanted it and not having siblings to smash up his things!!

[ummmm]

What happened to your friend who wanted to adopt another child?

[zzxxee]

wish i had been an only child my brother is only 15 months younger than me he was an annoying little sh**t !!!!!!!

[tiggerblue10]

I was an only child for 17 years then my brother came along. My parents wanted loads of children but my mum had complications and couldn't conceive and also had miscarriages before my brother was conceived. He was the best thing to happen to her after she went through a breakdown a few years before that.

[zzxxee]

she is in the process of trying to see if she will be approved again ummmm

[ummmm]

Oh good. Glad she didn't let the little girl dictate to her.

[tiggerblue10]

My brother can be annoying like any other sibling can but I love loads.

[woofgang]

the fact that parents aren't around is a different discussion from having a sib IMO...with more kids, the parents would have even less time..I wonder why they decide to have a kid if they don't want to send time with her.....