Many people have misconceptions and negative opinions about parents having only one child. They think that children with no siblings are unhappy, more selfish and socially awkward compared to children with siblings.
The truth is: most of these people are just not aware of the benefits of having one child only. BABBLE compiled a list of the best reasons to have an only child. Remember, the argument about one child vs. many children all boils down to personal priorities and preferences.
1. One of the biggest benefits of having just one child is that parents can spend more time with their kid. Parents with many kids can still spend lots of time with their children, but they cannot avoid dividing their attention or focus on their multiple children. Parents of one child do not have that problem.
2. Another benefit is that the family can enjoy a calmer and less hectic environment at home. The reason for this is that less kids is equal to less chaos.
3. Parents with one child usually have more free time compared to parents with multiple kids. Parents will have more time to do their hobbies, household chores, or go on a date night with each other.
4. One big benefit of having one child only is that it is much less expensive. "According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Expenditures on Children by Families report for 2013, it costs a whopping $245,340 to raise a child in the United States -- excluding college costs or inflation," the article shared. Parents will be able to provide more for their kid if the budget is not being divided among many siblings.
5. Children with no siblings could also become more independent than kids with siblings. They will also be able to learn how to have fun and play by themselves. However, parents with only one kid should not forget to give plenty of opportunities for playing with other kids in order to develop their social skills, according to Only Child Experience and Research.
6. Lastly, one of the benefits of having only one child is that parents could have an easier time cherishing their parenting moments and get through the difficult parenting times such as potty training and waking up in the middle of the night to comfort a child. This is due to the parents' knowledge that these parenting duties and responsibilities are once in a lifetime.
