I would like to get rid of 'larger families' and 'one-child families' sections

[MascaraOHara]

surely any issue raised in either of these could be raised under 'Parenting' or whatever it's called..

or maybe there should be a '2.4' board? that could pick up all those who don't fit into 'Lone Parents', 'larger' or '1 child'

Whilst I think there are issues that are specific to Lone Parents that couples don't face, I really just don't get splitting up the parenting aspect... surely either your a parent or your not, does it really matter if you have 1 or 15 children?

Yes, you probably are, but sometimes it doesn't feel like it if you have only got one child. One can feel like a slightly less successful parent and it is nice to read stories from happy one-child families. Anyway, isn't the average family now 1.8 children? No doubt due to all our little solos.

mascara,

I can see what you mean about all parents being parents, but sometimes ther are specific things for larger families, (i'm one of them)

Have you actually looked on larger/one parents to see what we chat about?

Well I think there should be a board only for parents of 3 children........

i posted on a recent thread on one parent familes. I believe (although i may have interpretted wrong) that the topic is really for ONLY child families rather than parents of one child (it made sense on the other thread).
I still think it could go onto threads rather than a topic but I do see the need for larger families though, i only have 3 and find it VERY different for all kinds of reasons so imagine that 4/5/6 or 15 (you have been busy) is a different thing entirely.

I fail to see why we need to discuss parenting at all
Can't we just talk about wine and chocolate and sex?

well i am deffo a larger families mum but just contributed to the one child thread

they are not mutually exclusive

As a mum of an only child I agree with OP TBH. Any issues I have had I have found other topic areas that cover it.

I agree that there are aspects of parenting specific to larger families.

i quite like the larger families board. makes me think of the waltons/darling buds of may, all apple cheeked children and large bosomed mothers.

whereas the single child one is a bit secret garden before the servent boy cheers everyone up.

oh and what countessdracula said. i rarely talk about any parenting stuff anymore. it is dull and there are books and stuff apparently.

i think parenting three children is very very different from parenting one. i sometimes want to laugh about the concerns that some of the parents of lone children i meet in school are worried about. but am too polite. withthree children, i just dont have the luxury of worrying about some of those things. i imagine taking care of five or six, is just as different.
so, i think , that both these sections are very important, and should exist independantly

I can imagine there are lots of issues related to having 15 children

but I agree re only children - all this stuff about there being specific issues re only children is just crap.

Imo people just like to think they have their own specific issues so they don't feel left out when others talk about their specific issues.

All children started out as only children. Not all parents had these issues until they decided to extend the family.

Get rid I say.

Not mutually exclusive, no. But if you have four, for example, then you've had one - but not vice versa

Pmsl at Goat and the Secret Garden!

if you don't like it read something else.

disagree.
i had an only baby, but i have never ever had an only six year old. and whenihear about a mother of a six year old worrying about her dd getting dressed after the swimming in school, i have to keep my polite face on.
ALL my kids have been dressing themselves since they were three. dc3 would packher own bags in the morning for school, after school activities whatever. parents of onlies thought i was very [insert negative adjective here] mother for making them dos os. but , that is my strategy for coping.

The one child family thread is pretty exclusive. We have seen that on threads today, with people jumping on people with more than one child "barging" in.

But like now, there is a thread in that topic that very well many mumsnetters could contribute to, like what if your only thing another one is coming. Most people with more children may have some experience of this, only that another child DID come along. But, they are not really qualified to answer, because they went on to have another child. The way I understand it.

ooh for goodness sake..

surely if someone gets the help/advice/support they need and/or they make new friends through mn then surely it makes hee haw difference what subject they posted on in the first place

ok lay off giggling at fecking single children and their ridiculous issues. my dd is perfectly capable of dressing herself. jesus this why i hate that fecking board it is like open season on the less fecund.

ROFL at TheGoat.

My goat roffling was for the secret garden/darling buds post.
not the one directly underneath my roffle.

It makes it much easier for people to look and see what has already been posted which may be pertinent to their situation thus avoiding 'there was a thread about this in March 1956, why don't you check before creating multiple threads on the same topic' comments.

I agree that having an only baby is totally different from having an only child. There is a thread atm about how to respond to comments of the 'when are you having another one' type started by someone who has had a hysterectomy after her first. Its not really a parenting question.

lol @ humphreycushion

Feckin' fecund, thank you very much.

ooh stitch
get you
maybe you should be on teh G&T board