If you're an only child, did you ever wish you had a sibling?

[redmalt]

I've always thought I was one and done but here I am having a second! I never envisioned my son having a sibling.

I've always wondered though, do those who are an only child ever wish they had a sibling? There is me and my older brother and I couldn't imagine being an only child.

Interested to hear opinions

I was and only & so was my dad so we don't have a big family. I didn't mind at all growing up, but when my parents were dying it felt lonely. DH is terminally ill & I wish I had siblings now. My DCs aren't terribly close but they care about each other & I feel comforted to know they will always have each other.

God no.

And have watched so many sets of siblings fall out over their elderly parents care, it was hard doing it as one but at least nobody ever told me I wasn't trying hard enough.

Not as a child, but as an adult I do.

@FOTTFSOFTFOASM I get it, especially when parents pass away. That's hard.

It's just weird, because I have two older brothers and I honestly would never turn to them or confide in them for anything. As a kid I never did either. I have nothing in common with either of them.

I feel like this could happen with my siblings. One of my brothers has always been awkward, the other is useless on a whole other level, and both my parents are fine and healthy.
When they do start struggling, I can imagine there being quite alot of tension between us all.

My mum would say this. She's an only.

She's wrong.

As a child yes and as a parent of 3 young children yes. I'm amazed at their relationships and wish I had that. Having friends or cousins doesn't feel the same and I wish there was a sibling that I could pick up the phone and call. But otoh being a singleton makes you very self sufficient, I do my own things and don't expect help from anyone. My husband comments about this a lot.

I have loads of siblings and wanted to be an only child when I was a kid 😂. Though in practice I probably would have been pretty bored.

as an adult I’m so glad I have my siblings, especially my sisters and tbh my sister in law is great too, I can generally take or leave my brother but do love my little nephews.

if you’re an only your opinion will depend on your personality and your parents. If you have siblings it generally depends on your siblings. Some aren’t close at all even as kids and some are best friends all their lives. I love having loads of siblings now, but didn’t feel the need to recreate that scenario for my own kids and stopped at 2. Luckily they are very close.

I was an only child til I was 5. Was desperate for a sibling! It broke my mum’s heart cos she had secondary infertility.

When I was 4 we moved to the US for 3 years and she had my 3 little brothers out there - she thinks it was because she wasn’t working when we were over there so was more relaxed!

I’m glad I became a big sis but have good friends who are happy being only ones!

I'm an only child of parents who had me in their 40's, so "yes!" .
I was by far the youngest in the family as my mother was also an only child and my father had just 1 much older sibling (so my 2 x cousin's are 20+ years older than me). We are clearly slow breeders in our family too as neither of my cousins had children (they are in their 70's now so won't be either!).
I also started later than most and DH is 10 years older than me. I was determined that DD1 wouldn't be in the same boat as me hence DD2.
I know that my romantic daydreams of brothers and sisters may not have been all I thought they'd be though ~ I know loads of adults who hardly speak to their siblings! Luckily, my DD's are (thus far!) good friends. I've always encouraged this and told them how lucky they are ♥️

I vaguely remember wanting a sibling when I was a small child, as back then being an only child was much less common than it is now so I felt a bit of an odd one out. I think I was one of two only children in my class at school. That was the only reason I wanted one - to be like everyone else!

Now I’m older it’s not something that ever crosses my mind much, really.

The idea of having a big bro would be cool did come to my mind when I was little, but that didnt last. When I was 11 mum told me she might be pregnant and I got worried, no I didnt want any brothers or sisters by then. It turnes out to be a fasle alarm.

Now I have two kids myself. I didnt realise there were so much fighting and competing and costant winding up involved! I love them both dearly but it made me wonder whats the point? My husband has 2 other siblings but they rarely talk to each other, they dont have a bad relationship or anything like that but they are just not close.

As an only child I had all the attention and resources I needed. I played regularly with cousins and visited my extended family every week. I could also do whatever I enjoyed without being bothered by a sibling. Of course I am sure there are people who are happy and get on really well with siblings too. Its not better or worse really. I can just say that I am 100% happy growing up as an only child myself.

You can't say whether she's wrong or not. She might have had siblings and loved them and shared her life with them forever. She might have had siblings and hated their guts. You can't possibly say she's wrong to wish she had had siblings - that's such a reductive and blinkered view.

Some people are worse off for having siblings. Most people are on balance better off, though.

Yes I’ve always wanted a sibling and even more so now I’m an adult. It was a huge factor in deciding to have two kids, I didn’t want my dd to be an only child.

I was an only child and I hated it, I felt really lonely and I didn't feel like we were a 'proper family', all my friends had siblings.
My parents had issues though including alcoholism and mental health problems, which I now realise contributed to me feeling so alone as a kid, perhaps if it was a happier home life I wouldn't have missed having a sibling so much? I have friends now who were an only child and were fine with it, never missed having a sibling, so I think it depends on the circumstances and on the individual.

Absolutely, everyday! Even more so now that I see my parents ageing and I think I am going to find it so lonely and hard to deal with all on my own emotionally. The very reason I had 2 within 18 months. They are the best of friends and I hope they stay like that. They do fight from but nothing more than squabbling over toys. I wish I had what they have growing up. They are blessed! Edit to add I was a very happy child and had a very loving and happy childhood, I just feel that it would have been more enhanced had I had a a sibling and at this stage of my life I wish it even more!

I agree

Yes I wish I'd have had siblings. Especially when having to deal with everything left by my parents. Lonely time. The main reason I have 3 children

Nope. My parents are Indian and bitterly regretted having a daughter and not the son they wanted as per cultural construct.

Had I had a sister, our lives would have been miserable and we would have been labelled double curses by the family and treated accordingly. We would therefore have taken it out on each other as I saw all too often in other Indian/desi families.

Had I had a brother, he would have been the third parent and I in his thrall. I’d have to have his seconds (literally) and would have traditionally not received equal investment from my parents (such as decent clothing and books, tutoring, nutritious food, uni etc).

I’m one of 6 and when my mum was in a nursing home I was still on my own 😞

I'm an only and both my parents are onlys.

I've got 4 DC.

I was fine as a kid, but once i hit my 20s i wished i had a sibling. Much more so now when i'm in my late 40s coping with my mother.

My 3 older DDs are close in age and they are lovely together. They socialise with each other and when one got married recently it was so nice to see them all fussing together about hair and dresses and laughing about their funny shared childhood memories.

If they grow apart then it is what it is, but they'll always have those shared times. I don't have that. It's just me. I remember things one way and my mother likes to twist it her way and that's how it's always been.

My DH isn't close close with his siblings, but he says he knows that in dire straights he knows he could call on them. Again, he also treasures the shared childhood memory thing.

Thats exactly where i am and I've older siblings.

She's wrong about me @FOTTFSOFTFOASM she can think what she likes about herself.

I'd have been better off without my brother. Please don't tell me different because he was abusive. Still is when he gets the chance. Last time he screamed in my face, he's lucky my black belt DH let me fight my own battles.

Not all siblings are good.

There’s 11 years between my brother and I, we have no relationship at all.