Anonymous wrote:Happened to me. We were having out with friends that have 3 kids, 2 year apart. When it was time to leave I got a barage of why can't I have close friends like that? I'm all alone. Absolutely ripped my heart out.

It really hurts. I tried addressing it so many ways but settled on "you have to get really lucky to have a baby, we got lucky one time with you". DD would say "wow they're really lucky" when she saw families with lots of kids or a new baby. It was more bittersweet with her viewing it that way instead of just painful.

After trying for years we eventually went through IVF and are expecting a baby next month, and DD (nearly six by now) is overjoyed. She will tell anyone who will listen how lucky she is that we're having a baby, and it's really meaningful to me to hear her frame it like that.

I am sorry OP.

I have a twin and we haven't talked in a long time. She is a narcissist with mental health issues. She was also abusive as a child and I had to be the "people pleaser" because I knew my mom (dad died) couldn't handle two difficult children.

It is sad, but it is what it is. Just because you have siblings won't necessarily mean they will be close.

I also only have one child and sometimes wish I had another, but then I think about my sibling and realize nothing is a guarantee in life. I am grateful for my only (even though they ask for a sibling too), we travel a lot more (less $ for tickets), save more for retirement, 529s, have lots of friends who turned into family, etc.

What hurt is we tried a few times and after I had my child when I went through it I would get a pouch and people would assume I was pregnant and congratulate me or ask when I was due(even women and once a friend who is a doctor). That bothered me more that people feel they can comment on people's bodies and people thought I must have more than one child.

Anyway, sorry OP. Try to think positively if you can. Or do a little cry in the shower once in awhile. *hug*

I'm sorry OP that must be so hard. I bet you already know all the responses and attitude you should have, but at the end of the day, it still just sucks.

Anonymous wrote:I have 2 and my oldest asks for an older sister all the time.

I'n an only and my son is an only. He asked for a sibling a few times but not completely understanding that if we had a baby, the baby wouldn't be able to play with him for a few years and by that point, he probably wouldn't want anything to do with him or her. He was around 5 at the time.

I never wanted a sibling. I liked being an only.

I have 2 and my oldest asks for an older sister all the time.

I am an only and I was glad of it every time I went to a friend's house with several kids in it

My kids want a dog. They have asked every day for 3 years. I love dogs. My spouse loves dogs. My kids also have no idea how much time and money it takes to get a dog and raise it.

I’m an only child for no other reason than my parents only wanted one. I went through fertility treatments to have my children. You don’t owe your child a sibling any more than I owe my kids a dog. There are a lot of things my kids want and don’t get that make me sad.
It’s sad when your kid doesn’t get invited to a party. It’s sad when your kid doesn’t get the part they want in the school play or they lose the election for student government class rep. It breaks my heart any time my kid fails at something they care about and worked hard for or when someone hurts their feelings. Helping your kid sit with those feelings and realize they will be ok is part of parenting.

Anonymous wrote:I'm sorry. That has to be tough.

If it's any consolation, my brother and I were always like oil and water. Nothing obviously wrong but never got along. We're estranged now.

My brother was a terror when he was a teenager. Like lucky he didn't end up in prison terror. And some siblings are straight up abusive to each other.

When I understood the word was beg, and not bed, I finally understood your post.

I am an only child. It was lonely sometimes, but my mother had a chronic illness and it was a miracle she had me in the first place.

Just explain, again, and point out you are sad too that you can't have another, and that none of this is anyone's fault.

I'm sorry. That has to be tough.

If it's any consolation, my brother and I were always like oil and water. Nothing obviously wrong but never got along. We're estranged now.

I’m sorry, it’s so hard. How old is your DC? My only’s begging peaked in late preschool and was over by K-1st. She’s now a tween and claims she’s glad she doesn’t have siblings and only wants one kid herself. We shall see.

We are all extroverts and she gets her socialization fix with friends, activities, and cousins. Her life is different, but not necessarily better or worse than if we had been able to have another.

Wut

My only asks this several times a week and it kills me inside.

Happened to me. We were having out with friends that have 3 kids, 2 year apart. When it was time to leave I got a barage of why can't I have close friends like that? I'm all alone. Absolutely ripped my heart out.