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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I was raised an only child in a completely normal, loving house. Never wanted a sibling. My parents supported me without spoiling me. I had a great childhood and continue to have a good relationship with my parents now that I am an adult.

The number of siblings DO NOT matter. I have friends with siblings who hate each other. Another had 3 siblings and had an abusive father.  No family is perfect.

People on this board need to get over the only child shaming. It's insulting and hurtful.

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❤️ Thanks for posting. People are unbelievably cruel about only children.[/quote]

+1 though I wouldn't go so far as "cruel." Maybe more "unimaginative and self-focused" because they cannot picture a family where everyone is fine with an only child, including the child herself.

People tend to assume that, if they themselves had a certain family make-up and certain dynamics, and those were positive, that all families would be happier with those same dynamics.  So  on these forums, we get a lot of posts along the lines of "My siblings and I are so very close! You should give your only child a sibling" and so on.

Spouse and I have a only child and we're all good with that, for our own unique reasons. It's entirely possible to have one child and be supportive without spoiling that child, as a PP put it. It amazes me how many posters here simply [i]assume[/i] that every only child is spoiled, selfish, unable to share, lonely, lacks social skills, is overly attached to the parents, or totally rejects the parents out of some anger (at being an only child? Never figured that particular stereotype out).

If I assumed that every child with siblings was overly competitive, hated to share (because, tired of sharing with siblings), fought for parental attention, was jealous, etc., I'd be called out for stereotyping all kids-with-sibs; yet it's apparently OK in some people's minds to label all only kids with stereotypes. There's almost a tendency to pathologize "having an only child" as a "condition" that needs fixing, or advice on mitigating the supposed damage, or sympathy. It hasn't affected us personally so much but I've seen a lot of that pathologizing and stereotyping on these forums and other parenting sites.

OP, what were you really asking for regarding "resources"? I wondered if maybe you're a single parent and just asking for things to keep your child more occupied while you work from home, perhaps? I hope the discussion here hasn't driven you away. If you tell us your concerns, we might be able to allay them and help you with whatever type of resources you need.

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