Why does this talk topic exist?

[GodessOfThunder]

Curious as to why there is a one child families board.

We have one child, and I can’t think of a single instance (apart from briefly inevitably once wondering “will they be lonely” - answer: no) when I’ve had a question, thought or concern related to having one child.

I suspect it’s due to whoever decides what the talk topics are on MN seeing having one child as non-normative and perhaps an “issue”.

Any thoughts?

Perhaps you should go on the Site Stuff board and tell MN how you want the place run.

Agree with a PP that it’s more likely to be a space where people can discuss specifics relating to having one child without the dreary stereotyping by unimaginative posters in Chat or Parenting for example. As an only with an only, it gets a bit of a yawn fest otherwise, when really you might just want some advice based on someone else’s experience, not prejudices, rather than insulting comments that give you the rage.

Careful we will be lynched for our comments on this 😂

My mum doesn't believe in period pain, because she never had it.

🧐

There are boards for literally everything on here. Because MN is hugely popular, with people posting for all sorts of reasons, from all round the globe.

You’re coming across as really chippy and defensive about one-child families in your insistence that this board isn’t needed.

You don’t get to decide for other people whether this board is needed or not.

Because its a different family dynamic perhaps?
No sibling relationship is included in a one child family.

There are some posters - not all, but some - who originally joined MN as they'd anticipated having children. For various reasons they have never become parents as they'd envisaged, and have chosen to try and look at the positives of the path they have ended up on (childfree vs childless).

Personally I think it's good that MN acknowledge that people go through different journeys and that their circumstances may change over time. There are a lot of topics on MN which have nothing to do with being a parent. MN may have started as a parenting website, but it's grown into more of a general discussion forum.

Ahh ok this makes a lot of sense. Thank you for explaining and pardoning my ignorance regarding it!

Thank for starting this thread OP as, up to now, I wasn't aware of this board. BTW just because you haven't had shitty comments about having 1 child yet, don't think they won't come. DD is in her early 30's and has chosen not to have children so now I get "bet you wish you had 2 now....you might have had grandkids then". 🙄

Then you are lucky. I have been called selfish for having 1 child. I've been told I don't like him or other children if I only have 1. It's because I made the choice to have only 1. I come on here to read other people's experiences. I do question my choice even though I know its right for me and others on this chat might understand where I'm coming from.

Back in the day there was a running thread called The Orangery. Now there's a board for it.

Mumsnet isn’t just for you. And if you don’t like this board you don’t have to read anything on it.

Mumsnet is for a wide group of people. People clearly use this board.

You haven’t had an issue in 11 years. There’s posts on this board that go back to 2008. Before you had your child.

So it’s clearly never caused you any problems. It hasn’t worsened perception.

just like large families wish to have input from other large families, some people want input from other families that have one child.

Instead of talking in circles about why you think it might, maybe cause an issue. Why don’t you just admit what you problem is?

No worries. I started using MN (under a different name) when I was just about to start TTC in my 20s. Almost 15 years later I'm still knocking about on here, but don't have children. Having been on for so long it would feel weird not to log in and see what's kicking off on AIBU

Haha yup, always makes for interesting reading!

@GodessOfThunder Let me send you my MIL for a few hours, then you might see why there is a board for parents of one child. She can spend days at a time telling you why having a single child is "wrong".

I'm finally at a point when I can tell her to piss off, but it's taken me a long time to get here. I've valued the experiences of others in the same position, sharing the positives. (Current positive, the cost of university accommodation- bad enough for one child, never mind more than one.)

Those are fine but let's be honest there are plenty of child free people on here who bang on about how much they despise children.

I can't comment on what motivations other people have on children or any other topic; the CF board is not somewhere I participate. I simply offered up an explanation for why some childfree people might be on MN and want somewhere that they can post.

"Sure lots of things can be discussed. But the establishment of such a topic can encourage people to internalise one child as an issue, when it isn’t at all. If, say, there are issues getting pregnant, there’s the pregnancy/conception board"

I think you know the answer, namely the 'issues' were already there and that's what necessitated this space. But you have decided to take the stance that there are no 'issues'-and I mean only-child specific struggles, and are taking it so far as to take offence in the fact that some people may differently.

As to the question what exactly could these struggles be, you only need to read the already existing posts on the board.

It's just strangers finding common ground and relating to each other over the fact they're all raising a singleton. It's a positive thing.

Ok, perhaps my posts were a little unthinking. Sorry to all.

I find it obtuse of the OP to create this thread, in this topic. It's odd and feels like a faux query. It's blatantly obvious that there might be some challenges (as well as the advantages) of having one child, and that people might want to chat it through with like minded people.
Why not start a thread saying here are all the reasons why I haven't found it a challenge, in case it might be helpful to someone? If you really don't want to just annoy people l, but be somehow helpful

I’ve been struggling hugely with my DDs behaviour and comparing it to her pals with siblings, questioning if her being a lone child is contributing factor. Seemed like a good board to go on for an irregular MN user.