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Original poster

Would you stick to having one child if it meant more holidays?

125 replies

doorlily · 17/06/2023 17:16

Just that, really. Would you place value on holidays, experiences and having more funds to do fun things / drop your hours at work and achieve a better work life balance? Or do you think a sibling outweighs all of that kind of stuff. I know there’s no right or wrong answer just wondering what other people chose to value more?

OP posts:
cocksstrideintheevening · 17/06/2023 17:28

Yes

drpet49 · 17/06/2023 17:32

No way

riotlady · 17/06/2023 17:32

No, currently pregnant with a second child and we’ll not be going on any big holidays anytime soon.

purpleme12 · 17/06/2023 17:32

Well I guess that's what we did in a way.
Yes if it has a significant impact on available money I would have one.
I would want to be able to provide my child with fun things

Lefteyetwitch · 17/06/2023 17:34

I have 3. Yes absolutly. Resources, time and extra money should never be downplayed.
Honestly .aybe it's because they're still little but my friends who are 1 and done seem to be so much better.

MrsTerryPratchett · 17/06/2023 17:34

I did (partially for that) and DD is very well travelled and is glad she doesn't have a sibling. If she wanted one and didn't enjoy travelling so much, I might regret my choices!

Experiences are very important. TBF she also enjoys camping and cheaper stuff so she'd probably be alright. I don't!

Tigersinthetent · 17/06/2023 17:34

No but I guess because we already have more than one. We definitely can't afford any holidays though but I doubt we'd be able to afford them with one child.

Tigersinthetent · 17/06/2023 17:35

Holidays are pretty stressful so not sure being unable to afford them is actually a bad thing tbh.

mayorofcasterbridge · 17/06/2023 17:36

No, I wouldn't sacrifice another child for holidays. I have three. The holidays were low-key for a bit but we started to holiday regularly again when the youngest was 4.

whatsinanameeh · 17/06/2023 17:36

This wasn't a part of the reason why we only had one child

But over a decade later it's really really helpful

We can do a lot more than friends with two or three children can and already have more freedom in our life than friends who still have a little ones And big ones

CatfoodOzymandias · 17/06/2023 17:37

I have two and they barely speak to each other. Not that they hate each other. They never fight or speak ill of each other. Just that they don;t speak to each other and there is a gap in interests, plus girl boy.

I'd think more about uni costs. And any help with housing. They are spiralling.

Ponderingwindow · 17/06/2023 17:40

we ended up with only one. Just returned from a wonderful city holiday with our teen. We got to do all the things she wanted, exposing her to a different place and all sorts of experiences. It was also a great family bonding experience. As we were coming home I was thinking about how I know we could have had something like that with an additional child, but money would have been much tighter and it would have been a very different trip. It’s weeks like that where I am reminded that having only one child really has huge advantages.

CalistoNoSolo · 17/06/2023 17:40

I've got one. She has had a pretty amazing life so far because she doesn't have a sibling. She's travelled extensively, had some amazing experiences both in the UK and abroad and has chosen to go to university in a different country, which can be fully funded because there is just her. We could afford to send her to an excellent grammar school and she has everything she needs. She also has a very good work ethic as she sees just how hard her father and I work for all of the lovely things she has/does.

Siblings are entirely unnecessary for a child to have a lovely life, and can be a massive restraint on the time, money, emotional strength/stability that the parents can give. It always amazes me that people have children they can't afford.

SilverGlitterBaubles · 17/06/2023 17:41

Not specifically for just for holidays, that's - big decision for just a few weeks a year. I would consider if a second was going to significantly impact lifestyle especially with rising mortgages, rents and costs of living.

Inkypot · 17/06/2023 17:42

Absolutely not. What a weird thing to place the decision of having a child on.
There will always be time to make more money to have a holiday, there is not always more time to have a child.
And no doubt MN will have a bunch of CFBC folk coming at me on that but it's true- a child is infinitely more valuable than any holiday ever could be.

Anjelika · 17/06/2023 17:44

Whilst holidays are nice, for me it's the everyday that wins out. I've got 3 and although I love spending time with each of them 1:1, I never wish that the 1:1 was a permanent thing. We would have a lot more money for sure with just one but I like the bustle of daily life with 3.

WhatWouldTheDoctorDo · 17/06/2023 17:44

It's not why we had one child, but it's definitely a benefit of it. We have at least one family holiday and usually multiple shorter breaks in UK and abroad that I don't think we could have afforded with more children. We all love to holiday and visit new places so it's been a bonus for us.

TomatoSandwiches · 17/06/2023 17:45

Yes, coming from a mother of 3.

JazzyBBG · 17/06/2023 17:45

I have two kids and go on plenty of holidays. 🤷‍♀️ it also means they occupy each other so I can actually sit down on holiday.

Cotton55 · 17/06/2023 17:46

No way. I'm very glad we have 3 children. I think life can be very lonely sometimes being an only child so I'm glad mine don't have to deal with that. I've 2 siblings so I'm not basing that on personal experience. But my best friend has an only child (not by choice) and school holidays etc can be quite lonely for them according to her. Also being the only child on holidays with her parents was hard too and they were always trying to organise to take a friend with them

onlyoneoftheregimentinstep · 17/06/2023 17:47

Absolutely not. We have three DC and now five DGC - they've brought far more love and joy to our lives than holidays and material things.

mintbiscuit · 17/06/2023 17:48

I went on a caravan holiday every year as a child. Never abroad. I have a big brother I would never swap for all the holidays in the world. Family was really important growing up.

I like to think my 3 DC will say the same when they are older.

MrsTerryPratchett · 17/06/2023 17:48

onlyoneoftheregimentinstep · 17/06/2023 17:47

Absolutely not. We have three DC and now five DGC - they've brought far more love and joy to our lives than holidays and material things.

So has my one.

It isn't a bulk buy situation.

CatfoodOzymandias · 17/06/2023 17:48

I am very glad I have a sibling. But then so many people don;t get along with their siblings. It's a gamble.

MrsTerryPratchett · 17/06/2023 17:49

mintbiscuit · 17/06/2023 17:48

I went on a caravan holiday every year as a child. Never abroad. I have a big brother I would never swap for all the holidays in the world. Family was really important growing up.

I like to think my 3 DC will say the same when they are older.

I used to go camping.

I'd swap my brother for a decent holiday today if anyone was buying. Anyone? Grumpy, useless, rude arsehole for sale. No good owners. I'm looking for Bora Bora but will settle for a weekend in Paris.