people always make out how easy it is having "only"one child, yet you do actually have to play with that child alot more and entertain

[diamondlizard]

that child loads more, so its not easier its just different

i get really annoyed about people saying this, and ive had three children, but sadly lost the middle one

i also dont like the way peolple say when you only have one child

people never say oh well when you only have two do they

anyway three cheers for everyone out there being playmate entertainer and dping a great job

I have 2, a moly nearly 6 and a girl nearly 3. They spend every waking hour squabbling and screaming and moaning. No don't think ds will ever forgive me for not giving him a brother. They fight and compete for my attention. Age gap is too bug for them to play together. I have yet to see any evidence of 2 being easier than 1.

Totally depends on the individual child and the parents (as so many others have said ). We have just one and it was incredibly easy when he was a baby - he was very easy going slept loads and just fitted in whatever I wanted to do - having two children would have been much, much harder.

Lots of siblings don't get on with each other, dealing with constant bickering must be exhausting. DS now does a hobby which involves endless driving and taxiing around - that would be incredibly difficult with more than one (not to mention a lot more expensive).

I am constantly amazed that people go on to have more than one child - I also find it emotionally exhausting with one child - how on earth do you cope with more than one? .

I have a 10 month old and another at 2.10 and it's definitely easier when I have just the one. They are much calmer individually and more likely to nap too

I have a 10 month old and another at 2.10 and it's definitely easier when I have just the one. They are much calmer individually and more likely to nap too

I have a 10 month old and another at 2.10 and it's definitely easier when I have just the one. They are much calmer individually and more likely to nap too

It does depend on the child and the parent (s) though.

My friend and I both have singletons. We like to get our kids together to play but she says it is much easier because they entertain each other, and I find it a bit harder than looking after dd alone because of the amount of refereeing involved!

Friends playing together is great. They get the attention from each other. Most siblings do play together sometimes but they also get fed up of each other, are different ages and fight for parental attention.

It's not a competition at all but 2 children are most certainly harder work than 1.

I think it also depends on the ages/stages of the children.

My youngest 3 are now 4, 6, and 8, soon to turn 5, 7 and 9...it is now so much easier than it was this time last year.

This time last year, I remember thinking, "This is so much easier than it was this time last year!" iyswim.

Having any number/combination of DCs when any of them are under 4 is pretty hard work, I think.

They become less dependent, more rational, more fun, they go to school for whole days rather than playgroup for half days, sleep more and cry less and, if you've got more than one, hopefully play with each other!

Holding my breath for when I've got three teenagers under one roof, mind!

I only have one child and I am nearly 40. I am feed up off people asking me if I am going to have another child and then looking at me like I am daft when I tell them no. I love my little one and do at times feel guilty that I am not having any more out of choice. We can't afford a second child and the thought of another complicated labour, more sleepless nights and breast feeding just to much to contemplate.

I have 2dc, had a friend with 1 who was always telling me how easy I have it . Having a baby and toddler was the hardest, most exhausting, unrelenting thing I've ever done. It pushed me to my absolute limit. There's also double the grunt work, ie all the washing, ironing, cleaning, tidying, homework supervising, taxiing about, twice the clothes shopping, present buying, twice as many sports days, school plays etc and the period you need to do this stuff for is prolonged.

Dd1 was on a week long residential trip last week, and it was definitely easier with just dd2 at home.

Lord knows how people manage with more!

I think one is practically easier - the crunch being you can pick one child up under one arm and force them to leave

But it is so intense. And repetitive. DS is nearly 6 and this isn't letting up. I don't think I'd mind juggling multiple interests because that would mean I would have to deal with multiple interests, which would be far more interesting than whatever is flavour of the week with my one child. And all developmental stages seem in equal parts horrifying and awesome, so instead of being overwhelmed by whichever part is horrifying, you could look at the other and see the shining cuteness and innocence of a little one/matureness and independence of an older one and it puts it in perspective instead of "This is horrible" every time it's hard.

It's also easier to take shortcuts with one child which might be a good thing or a bad thing (bad for me, I'm lazy and it makes me feel shit and guilty!) - we can have a lie in until ridiculous hours at the weekend because one child who is fairly sensible is not going to kill himself or wreck anything while entertaining himself for a few hours. But I'd like to do more at the weekends and it would be nice to have a push to get out of bed and make it happen. It's easy to prepare three separate meals, especially bland, processed kind of food, which means DS, DH and I tend to eat separately and in front of the TV. I'd love to have family dinners but in reality the low effort option wins out especially when DH is all "Oh, I'm not hungry right now" and DS is all "pleeeeeeeeeease can I watch something". If I/we had to make 3 or 4 or 5 (I don't make DH's at the moment unless making something big anyway) then it would be easier to cook something large for everyone to share and if one person needed to have theirs separately it wouldn't break it so much for everyone else. And lastly mornings. I really should get up early and eat breakfast, but neither me, DH or DS do because DH and I get up at the last possible minute and DS doesn't have time either (but I kid myself it's fine because they eat at 9.30 at kindergarten and sometimes he has a snack on the way too.)