Honest opinion - what do you think of parents choosing to have one child?

Entirely up to each family, nothing to do with anyone else

I literally don’t care, how many children people choose to have is their business.

I’m an only child and always wanted a sibling, but who’s to say that if I did have a sibling, I wouldn’t want the opposite? Grass isn’t always greener and it is what it is.

I think the point is that some people do feel the need to say something. Thankfully nobody has said anything to me for years, but at one time I did have comments about when I was I having another one and not to let a 'bad experience' giving birth put me off.

I did always want two, it is a cause of sadness that life didn't work out that way for various reasons, but as this point not having a second child to worry about is also a relief.

Most people here are saying they would give it zero thought or have no opinion, yet as woman who only had 1 child, I was asked on a nearly daily basis when I was planning to have another one. And if I replied “I’m not actually” the reaction I would get from people was almost disbelief mixed with guilt tripping “don’t you want them to have a sibling?”. I think lots of people do find it odd to only want one child.

No opinion at all It's your choice.

That they chose to have one child.
Why do you care what other people think?

This 100%.

i was grateful to be an only and be able to just do what I thought was best for my mum. She put some money in when I bought a house with a granny flat for her. Had there been siblings there could have been arguments about inheritance and later about future care.

i have a friend who is one of 3 sisters. While they were close, 2 moved away. When their mum became ill, it was my friend providing care, sorting a care home and later probate, all of which I had done without a second thought. She however was resentful that it had all fallen to her and the ‘support’ from her sisters was mostly phone calls wanting updates.

Nada.

I have just 1.

it was a choice as he has a genetic condition so I realise people make decisions for all sorts of reasons. 🤷‍♀️

My ex's family used to tell us we were unfair for just having one. Appparently, she'd be lonely, spoiled etc.

My DD is actually better at sharing than many of her peers who have siblings (since she's got a poor concept of competitiveness!).

2 of my son's friends are only children, the only thing I think is how peaceful and fight-free their households must be.

It is tough looking after ageing parents without support.

Sadly, having siblings is no guarantee that you will have any support. My Dsis does nothing, and it is ultimately my DH and my DD that support me to care for my dad.

As an only child for the first ten years of my life, this was certainly true for me. It was a very lonely childhood. I would obviously never vocalise that to any parents of only children though.

It’s not a real choice for many. We have no family support, our mental and physical health couldn’t take two children and both trying to work full time. Also we can’t afford my maternity leave again with cost of living the way it is.

I absolutely loved parenting my only child. And yes, we stopped at one because of secondary infertility rather than choice, but with hindsight, I think I only really wanted two because I was brainwashed into thinking that children needed siblings to be happy. My dd has plenty of very happy childhood memories, thanks, and not a single clarinet lesson!

I wouldn’t think anything. Who would? I am an only child and have an only child. I have friends and family who have 0 - 4 children. It is what it is, I have no opinions about it (other than to wish them well and hope they have what they wanted).

Sometimes siblings get on , sometimes they don’t , sometimes the get on as children but don’t as adults . You really can’t miss what you never had . I’m glad for my brother but I’d have known no better if I hadn’t had one ?

Logically I know there is nothing wrong with having an only child, but emotionally I can't help feeling a tiny bit sad about it. Of course my views are inevitably shaped by my own upbringing - I had very antisocial & slightly awkward parents, and they very rarely facilitated playdates etc with other children, so without my siblings I would have been extremely lonely. And as a parent now, it brings me lots of joy seeing how close my two kids are (but we have lots of their friends over too!)

Rationally, I know there are lots of happy only children with sociable parents out there though! But emotional instinct runs deep

I think nothing of it really except sometimes I remember back to when we had just one child and things were far simpler and I imagine what their life might be like and get a bit jealous.

I think it’s a perfectly valid choice. Two very close friends are only children (now in their 50’s ) and both have led extremely happy and sociable lives. I wasn’t an only child, but my sister died in her 30’s-so I have to do all the elder care (I don’t mind).

I have one child - literally no one else's business why.
Just like it's none of my business how many children other people do/don't have.

Each family do what is right for them.

Same and same, although it's 4/8 in our group.

You get the odd unkind person who think you've deprived your child of something vital, but I knew I couldn't cope with more than one, so he'd have had a sibling but also a mum having a breakdown.

I guess it's nice that people love their siblings so much that they can't imagine life without them. But in my experience, siblings cause as many problems as they solve - neither of my parents have close relationships with theirs.

Zero and can’t imagine what others would. I’m an only (I think by choice) and was happy. I had more than one
edit: like pp I do sometimes get envious of how easy one is in rare occasion I have just one of mine. I know it was my choice and wouldn’t change it but I didn’t realise how hard it would be (but smy two together are particularly hard work compared to most families I know)

Literally no one cares.

Has never occurred to me how many children people choose to have.

I would add many couples do not get to choose how many children they have, fertility or secondary fertility makes this decision and we all must remember this before making silly and unkind assumptions (sadly people still do this especially with 0 or 1 child), just to compound their sadness.

Absolutely nothing