Siblings, ya can’t live with ’em and you can’t live without ’em, er, actually, you can… If you’re an only child you know very well what it’s like to live without siblings. Ah, the peace and quiet…
Are only children lonelier? Do they get more attention? Are divorce rates higher? These are questions you’ll hear asked around at social gatherings or buzzed about online. The answers? If you’re an only child, can you answer those?
Please vote in our poll below and tell us if you are an only child or not. Then, once you’ve voted, please leave a comment and tell us if you are an only child if you wish you had siblings growing up, and if you weren’t an only child if you wish you could have been (we won’t tell your siblings, we promise).
I have 5 siblings. (3 boys, 3 girls)
I’m the youngest of 5 sisters and 3 brothers. Mom quit when she finally got it right!
Oldest of 4, Wife oldest of 3
My dad was “one and done”.
He figured he’d have his hands full with you, eh, Tommy? BTW – this is your 1,999th comment. 😯 Have a great day! 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
I’m number two of seven. One younger sister and my brother both died. I’ve had no contact (and have tried repeatedly) with my older.sister and two younger sisters. That leaves one younger sister that I occasionally get to talk with. Since our parents have also passed on, I hoped to bring we surviving siblings back together, but it appears not to be.
I’m one of 6 and we went camping, all of us, with two tents. What great memories!
I am the only 6th child of 10 in my family!
3 boys, no girls.
My sister is an only child.
😐
Oldest of 4. 3 boys then the princess! Camped together as kids, now separated by distance, close by phone. Many, many good memories 😊
Nope I’m the youngest of three…
I had a brother until I was 26 years of age. He died at age 23. We were so different growing up that it was as though we were both only children. As we got older, me into my 20s, we became closer and enjoyed one another’s company. We even found the few things that we both enjoyed and did them together. We only did that for a few years before his death. I regret all the years that were wasted. I am thankful that he was in my life however briefly.
I have a 5 yr older brother, that in later years I found has always resented my being born and destroying his only child reign.
Wife oldest of four.
I’m youngest of four. Got along great with my two older brothers, we each survived with my third brother.
I’m an only…so Is my mother and my son. Small family. I always wanted siblings and was thankful to always have a pet. Now at 63, I’m happy as long as I have my dog.
I was an only child until my siblings were born.
My Dad was 31 when he married my Mom (19), I am the last son of 15 children (8 girls and 7 boys) over 26 yrs. I have nieces and nephews older than me, growing up there were only my youngest sister and youngest brother and myself at home. Sadly there is only myself and my sister in her mid 90’s left. I will be 76 this year.
I am an only child. But my father had 10 siblings and my mother had 11 siblings. I guess I’m lucky they agreed to have me. 🤓
I should have checked two choices, since I have both full and half siblings.
Me too Gene: I have a sister and a half sister. I am the oldest. My mother also lost a baby girl shortly after birth between my sister and I.
Four younger siblings (youngest is 17 yrs younger than me, but we are the closest of all siblings, trips together, text/call multiple times a week), Three older half siblings who were there when I was born, so I rarely use “half” when referring to them. 2 siblings passed away.
Raised an only child. My sister passed away 5 months after I was born. She was 7 yrs. old and had a rare form of muscular dystrophy. Mom also had 3 miscarriages before me. So I always respond to this question as raised on only child in honor of the siblings I didn’t know.
I have 7 brothers and 8 sisters, our family reunions are a rather large gathering
No but getting closer. One sister left. Who’s it gonna be, her or me
I came late in the grand scheme of things, my parents were 36 when I was born. They were married 12 years before I came to be, sorry they are all long gone now, but thankful that I am still here.
I have a similar situation. My mom was 32 when I was born and has passed away 6 years ago. My husband and I have one son.
Wish I had been, might as well been. My brother younger was the attention getter. So grew up more a loner until my teen years. That’s when the discovery of girls. Work 12 years of age shoveling snow, yard work to grocery store work then military duty and tetited. Have never been close to my parents or brother and still not. So think I am the only child. So when asked if I have other siblings I always answer no.
I am the youngest of eleven children. The first 10 were all about 12-16 months apart. The oldest is 18 years older than me and the twins who are next to me in line are 6 years older. I have always felt like I was a part of both worlds…big family and a bit of an only child since they all left home before me. We all still live in the same “big little city” and are not only siblings but ‘friends’.
I am one of 9, counting step and half sisters and brothers, but I was also a twin. I married an only child whose parents were married for 15 years before she was born. What may be interesting is that there were only 7 kids out of the 9 siblings.
Oldest of eleven!
I became an only child at age 20 when my 16 year old brother passed on.
I am proudly one of six
Was an only child until I was 14. What a shock that was. !!!!!!!! There was a crying person in my quiet house and now I knew my parents were doing IT !!!!
I have a brother that’s four years younger than me. Hard to believe we came from the same parents.
My husband was oldest of three, I was third of four. We wanted 3-4 children. We were blessed with only two sons– but 18 years apart. I guess you could say we raised two ONLY children.
I am #2 of 16 children. Same Mom & Dad … no children for me…child rearing is HARD work
A Twin in fact. I always had a playmate and companion my exact age.
I am 1 of 1, wife is #5 of 13,
I am #8 of 11, all still alive and are retired.
Adopted at birth (was later told that I was the first adoption at birth baby in Wash state, 65 yrs ago…..not sure if that is true). Was an only child, which I believe allowed me to be inventive with ways to entertain myself without siblings…….all fond memories.
My brother used to tell me I was an only child. 😅
Only child. Married to the same woman since Nov 4, 1966. Was usually able to find something to do as a young child. As a youth got “farmed out” to an uncle in the summers to help on his farm. Had PLENTY to do then. Kept me out of trouble all summer and after school activities and CAP kept me busy the rest of the year. A full career in the USAF and a family of three females (wife +2 daughters) insured I’d not be lonesome (when not deployed).
I have a 3 yrs older bro, DH has a 7 yrs older sister (adopted) My father was 1#3 of 6, all his bro and sis stopped at 2 (except for 1) That one’s children stopped at 2 (or none at allin 1 case) My 2 kids were 5 years apart so I could have energy to deal with each one’s babyhood. I lost a pregnancy between my children and after my children.
It is 16 years between me and my sibling. So, it was like I was an only child growing up. But I loved my sibling and when we got together was no way to separate us.
I don’t know what to answer. I have half siblings but we were not raised in the same household and I was raised as an only child.
I am an only child. Mom was 19 when she had me, then she later met my step dad and tried to get pregnant, never could. I hated being an only child. Was a very lonely childhood. I wouldn’t ever wish to be a kid again because of it.