When my husband and I talked about another child, I told him I wanted our son to have family if something happened to both of us. Yes he would have Aunts, Uncles and cousins but I wanted him to have blood family from us. They are grown men now with children of their own and they are best friends and have always been.
I love it at times ND other times itās driving me crazy but I love my girls everyone handles it different
I have 3 boys and wouldnāt trade it for the world. Kids are wonderful to have and yes this world is crazy and scary at the same time but being able to see smiling faces and the snuggles is the best.
You will be glad you did. I have 4 babies and I know theyāll always have each other no matter what.
Iāll never regret having 2ā¦ They will always have each otherā¦
Going from one to two was not difficult. I do NOT recommend going from two to three. One of them is ālooseā all the time. And every day, two of them āgang upā on the third. I adore all three of my sons, but it was a lot of hard work. Good luck.
I had two. Each child is the opposite of one another. If one was a fussy baby then the other one was so sweet. If one spit up, the other one didnāt. Direct opposites. I had one boy and one girl. Hoping they would have each other when my husband and I were gone. Then my son died and now I only have my daughter. Husband died, and every thing now depends on my daughter.
You find your groove with two, like you have with one. For me, even better than have my baby is watching her and her brother together. They are such great friends, one day, they will have each other when their father and I are gone.
Going from one child to two is not difficult from the standpoint that you now have experience as a parent. You know the ropes and donāt experience as much anxiety and uncertainty. But having a second child is much more difficult because of the increase in relationships with which to deal. You now have two parents dealing with two children. Complexity increases exponentially. Parentsā individual relationships with child #1. Parentsā individual relationships with child #2. Child 1ās relationship with child #2. Parents relationships re child #1ās relationship with child #2, etc. In the end we did have a second child and my sons are 5 years apart and they are best friends. They are both fabulous grown men now and the decisions to have them are the best decisions I ever made!
I had one, but then I knew I would want at least one more. My second one has autism. My first had a heart defect. They are both 14 and 15 right now. No regrets. They became amazing young adults. Now my third is completely healthy (he is 8) and the struggle is realā¦ but again, no regrets!God bless!
I loved having 2 girls. They are in their 40ās and still best friends. I had one for each hand crossing the street. I wouldnāt consider 3. Childcare would be very difficult. That being said, I only have one granddaughter. Sheās a lucky little girl. One of my daughters decided not to have children. The other only had one. It was the right choice for both of them. Follow your heart.
My opinion no one should ever have just one child! When they grow up they will need each other. Burying a parent by yourself is really hard. Everyone needs family
I have two. They are almost 5 years apart. Both girls. I wish I would have had them a little closer together in age. I had my first when I was 27 and the second at 32. If I would have started younger I would have had one more. I love the differences between them. And, hopefully, Iāll have more grand babies, eventually!
It took us 3 years after the birth of our son, to decide we wanted another. And then we got identical twin girls! Making the jump from 1 to 3 was tough with regard to how much always needed to be done. But it was also wonderful because there is always so much love and excitement in our household. And six years later, we had our fourth, another son. He is now almost 18 months old, and completes our family. There is truly never a dull moment and I wouldnāt have it any other way!
You know I wonāt lie it was a little hard at first. But once we got into a routine it was fine. My first had just turned 5 but I recruited him a lot to help and he was awesome. But once you get over the first couple of weeks we did good. Hopefully this helps you
Most of the comments here say have more than one. But you need to think about finances. Can you afford it. Who will watch the baby when you go back to work. I personally didnāt trust anyone with my baby for the first 18 months of his life. And what about the struggles of pregnancy. Not everyoneās pregnancy is easy. I had to worry about Zika when I was pregnant. I also almost lost my baby coming down to the end. This was very stressful for me because I had a miscarriage before. Itās nice to have more than one but sometimes you need to be realistic. I donāt want to have another child grow up in this horrible world.
That is a very hard question to answer for someone else. It does give your child a sibling, but it also depends on if you can afford it, childcare costs etc, there are so many things to think about, but first and foremost you and your partner need to discuss this and be on the same page.
I have one daughter and always worried about her if something happened to us. Now she has 2 children of her own and sure they fight a lot but would stand up for each other no matter what!
So you need to decide if you want your child to grow up without a sibling. And if you want two choices to take care of you in your old age?!
I couldnāt imagine growing up without my siblings! I have always wanted 2 fir whatever reason. As an adult and after my firstborn, I knew I wanted a second so that they could have each other. It can be chaos!!! Not gonna lie! But itās also double the love and the cuddles and fun. Plus when they love on each other melts your heart into a big puddle of mush! I would never want my child to have to face this world alone! As much as I love my husband there are things that he just canāt fulfill like my siblings!
With that being said You have to do what is best for you and your family! Pray about it! What does your spouse think? Good luck on whatever decision you make!!
I personally think 2 is the perfect number. Teo was a breeze for us but they were 5 years apart and 1 girl and 1 boy. We ended up having 3 and feel we are outnumbered. Our 2nd and 3rd are 18 months apart and both boys. That was difficult when they were both in diapers but is much easier now that they are 6 and 7. I think with 2 they play together well and thereās 1 parent for each with things like swimming. At the end of the day its all about what is right for your family!! Good luck.
We raised our grandson after his mother died. We live in a rural area, so no kids on our road, so he was lonely. I say to him that we should have fostered so heād kind of had a brother. Sounds stupid, but Iād go for it. If you organize the night before, itās better in the morning if you have to run out to work. My great niece was the second girl and watched her older sister pick out clothes. So the little one gets up, picks clothes & put them on herself.
So much depends on your situation, do you have room in your home for another child, space , do you feel you can afford another child, financially it will add more on the family, how old is your first child, to much distance between ages will be like having two separate generations, how does your husband feel, are you able to stay home and care for the children or will you need to work,how much will go for child care, if your organized having two children closer in age is not difficult, if you have a child in school and just thinking on adding to your family it could be a little more of a challenge because of the totally different needs of the children, now if your heart is yelling for another child,go for it and enjoy
I am an only child now in my 40s. My parents have both passed and the cousins I was close to growing up have their own families and siblings so Iām faced with navigating the world without a family structure.
Growing up it was bitter sweet. I had pretty much what I wanted when I wanted it because there was only me they needed to provide for. Family vacations and holidays could be disappointing because I was lonely.
Now Iām the Mom if 6, yes 6. For many it would be way to many kiddos but Iām at peace that when Iām gone they will have each other.
It really is a personal choice, there isnāt a" one size fits all" answer. I have 4 of my own and 2 step kids. Not gonna lie, it was definitely crazy. I raised my 4 by myself for several years. They are all close in age, which actually helped. Then came the 2 step kids, who are also around the same age as my kids. Love them all just the same, but boy was it crazy! I would not change it for the world though. I actually miss when they were little. Now they are almost all adults, and hard to get them all together. They are 23,22(both living on their own now), 19, two 18(both heading to college in the fall), and 17. But they are all close to each other, and look out for each other. It gives me some comfort knowing theyāll have each other when weāre gone.
Honestly it comes down to what you think is best for you and your family. I personally tried hard for baby 2 even though it took a lot of time. (7 year age gap) but i personally believe every child should have a sibling. That may not be the case for you and your family. If you are unsure wait and try again later.
I personally only ever wanted one child. My husband wanted two. I grew up a middle child and he grew up with him and his sister. They were best friends and I was only close with my little sister.
We have 1 child, a son, but i think we both wish we would have pulled the trigger and had a second, so that our son would have had someone to play with, grow up, and be besties. Our son is 8 now and by the time we have a 2nd child now i fear the age gap is too much. If it were earlier I would probably made the decision for a second child.
Personally I feel no child should grow up alone. Thatās where the term only child syndrome comes from. Whether child or adult the time will come they wished they had that sibling for their best friend and the only true one that will stand by their side thru thick or thin. Once an only child loses his parents they really are all alone. The world is rough enough! Imagine facing it by yourself. But it has to be your choice.
How hard it is depends on how close in age they are. It does get better as they get older and you are not exhausted all the time. My first was hyper, and my second very easy going.
If you have the instinct for another child, do it or youāll regret it. I thought it was a bit easier with 2 because they had each other then. Of course it comes with trials. But those are short lived. Also, donāt wait too long in between kids because then they wonāt have things in common.
I have 3 boys, and a 4th boy on the way. Going from 1-2 was the hardest for me, but so worth it. My first two are 21 months apart, so I was frequently dealing with nursing a baby while a toddler destroyed something. But theyāre best friends. They do everything together. They read together, they swim together, they play together, they even sleep together, even though they have their own rooms lol. My oldest has counted every single time heās seen his brother at school the last two years. He can tell you exactly how many times, and itās been 2 years lol. I canāt imagine only having one kiddo.
I struggled during my second pregnancy, being afraid I wouldnāt be able to love him as much, but thatās just not the case.
Plus they keep each other busy haha. They fight, but siblings always do. Right now, all three of them are cuddled together under a blanket, playing one iPad game together. Thereās not many things more heart warming than seeing your kids love each other.
I am any only and I think it made for a special relationship with my mother. My son is an only and we also have a great relationship. Remember, family is not just biological but can be chosen.
Itās you and your husbands life that make you love another person in your lives. Donāt let anyoneās opinions choose otherwise. I had a wonderful marriage with my first husband. We were married in 1974 and had our first child in 1976. Then I had another baby in 1979. These children were planned and loved with all our hearts. My husband was killed the following 9 months. I had a 3 yr and a 9 month old child who I love dearly. This is my husbands legacy he left behind. It doesnāt matter what other people think. Itās what is in your own heart that you want for your own children. I wouldnāt change anything if you love each other and are the death do you part loving relationship you have nothing to worry about! God will take care of you! I have lived this life with 2 children that were the best thing to have happened to me! I have had 3 husbands that have died but I still have my children in my life! Do what is in your heart!
An additional child always brings extra responsibilities. As I remember it, I was much more relaxed with the second. Make the choice with your spouse. It may be you will need more support and assistance from him/her. It is important your teammate is on board and willing to parent more. I wish you the best.
Never have an only child by choice. My opinion. I had 4 & wouldnāt trade my life for anything. Children bring love & selflessness.
I myself am 12 years older than my brother and itās a weird dynamic and I think itās sucks we didnāt ā grow upā together. My kids are two years apart and I canāt believe I did that to myself lol but my kids love each other and have such a close bond
I have 4 and it wasnāt always easy but is was awesome. I wouldnāt worry so much about how hard it will be on you but on the them. It is a crazy hard world we are living in. I worry for my grandchildren. In fact I am scared for them.
Having said that , children are blessings from God and if it is mean to be it will be. He knows the past the present and the future. Trust in him .
We had our 2 and they are 10 years apart! We didnāt plan it, but I told my ex that if I didnāt get pregnant by the time I was 30, he could forget it. I was 19 with our 1st and 29 with our 2nd. They are my blessings.
Life will always be crazy! Siblings are the best! I have 3 kids, twins first and a single. Yes there were sleepless nights and awful days of sick kids, but they are the best decisions I ever made!
I have 3. My first 2 are 3.5 years apart. It wasnt a big deal for me personally going from 1 kid to 2. As long as youāre financially stable and really feel another child would complete your family go for it!
After the first one everything just falls into place you get a routine you set times for everything i have 4 now ages 9 to 6months and my family was always like what are you going to do with so many kids and i never knew wat to say i love them i love watching them play i love hearing laughter in my house
I have 2 children- I always wanted 2-i was lucky, they were close in age and I had always told my son that this was his baby too so therewas never any jealousy and he always helped looking after his sister! they got on well and played together throughout theirchildhood.
My husband and I had 5. 1 mine, 2 his, and 2 together. 2 boys and 3 girls. Our oldest is 27 and the youngest just turned 21. They all love each other and would do anything for one another. I canāt imagine life without them all. I look back and donāt know how I managed and then I remember I was young and energetic! We always had enough people for tag and hide and seek and if my brothers 4 kids came over it was a party! Follow your heart because itās gone so fastā¦
I have one son and itās a perfect situation. After having 2 miscarriages ( one before him and one after) I told him he was my miracle child. Heās now 17 and all of his friends love being here. I feel like I have 6 kids at any given day and I love it!
Grew up in a family of nine kids. I have 4 of my own. My daughter married an only child and they are now expecting their second daughterā¦he was adamant about not having just one. My daughter is thrilled, but they will likely stop at two. I canāt imagine what it would be like to not have my siblings and my kids are so close to their own siblings and cousins.
I had just my one daughter and have never regretted. We were able to provide without a second thought. We paid for her college education no loans to pay back had her dream wedding. She now has two kids both college age. Keeping the family small we can afford to also help our grandkids with college. And we are middle class. My daughter still to this day states she would not change any thing about her life.
Two is way harder but also way worth it. My second made my family complete. He is a doll and I would never want to be without him. I didnāt know I had so much love to give until I had himā”
Think about the future too. When you and your husband age and need assistance. Having siblings to help with taking care of elderly parents was a God Send.
having 2 can be easier in the long run, they will play together and have secrets and keep each other entertained, the older one will learn to help with the younger one.
I have 2 boys 17 months apart. Age 5 and 4 next week. There are pros and cons. Having close in age can be nice but potty training 2 at basically the same time is hard. Also having 2 in diapers is hard. Your constantly changing diapers I swear I was always always changing a diaper. My boys fight alot. My boys wear basically the same size witch can be nice but yet again Iām paying double for everything instead of hand-me-downs. I wish my oldest would have been out of potty training when my youngest would have been born. Would be alot easier. Plus finding a good baby sitter that you trust with 2 little ones is, in my opinion one of the hardest things. If I were u Iād wait. Iām also financially a single parent my youngest sometimes I get child support my oldest I donāt get child support so if youāre a single parent with two kids itās really hard if you have a two-parent home it would be a lot easier. Itās up to you but as a single parent I would have waited.
Mine are 4 years apart and they fight sometime but most of the time they are best friends and play together a lot. I would say a second one for sure.
One of the best gifts a parent can give their child is a sibling. Sibling relationships are one of the few relationships that do not change their status/position for a lifetime (except cousins). Your relationship with your mate will change as you age, same with your parents/grandparents, however siblings remain peers. When going through life sibling/peers are so helpful even during times of strife because they can relate on the same level. Hope this helps. I come from a family of 3, my husband 6 and we are raising 7. This is not for everyone, but has been a blessing to us.
Just had one. My opinion is itās better to have at least two because if and when something happens to Mom and Dad they have each other. If just one they are all alone
My oldest and middle boys are 17 months apart and I love it. My youngest is 4 years younger than my oldest, and I honestly wish he was closer in age to his brothers but it just didnāt happen that way. I honestly feel like going from 1 to 2 wasnt that bad. Of course its an adjustment but they are good friends, and entertain each other. Yes they fight but they also play well most of the time and always have each others back. My boys are 10,9,and 6š
Iām an only child. I wished I had a sibling. My cousins didnāt live near us. So for major holidays I was the only child with the rest were adults. I had twins and my son and daughter are close.
My kids are now in their 30s but I found it was easier once I had the 2nd one. My kids are all 3 years apart and were able to help keep the younger one occupied no matter the age.
It depends on your age. Iām in my 40s and adopted a son. My husband and I donāt want anymore kids right now. Also depends your budget as well. My older brother was terrible to me. He was 10 years older than me. Hope that helps. Good luck and God speed.
I never thought i would have a second child. My.son was born 3\31/2020 and i dont know how I ever lived without him. My 1st is 14 so there a huge age gap but i wouldnāt change it for anything. Kinda have a built in babysitter
having raised one child and now raising my grandchild I know this. they either are super independent or super needy. I would have had a second and a thirdā¦if I could have.
I didnāt want my child to be lonely, so I had another. My babies were easy, but they fight like cats and dogs at 11 and 14, now. They love each other, though.
Having children should be a choice based on love! If its about money then you dont need another one but know this while an only child can be focused on more, they also become spoiled and needy 50% of the time. I was an only child and I had the loneliest existence ever. No one to share with, no one to turn to when I needed a real sib friend to talk with. In my case my parents were dysfunctional and life was horrid for me growing up. I know its not like that for others but most only children develop faster and then are unable to relate to those around them in their own age group. They have been exposed to adults more than other children. Its your choice and frankly if you need social media to help you make up your own mind you shouldnāt. This is an answer that should only come from the heart!
As I am older I wish I would have had more children. I have two daughters And love my grandchildren. But when you grow older the joy of having more surrounding you is comforting. Youāll have more chances of someone helping to take care of you when you get old.
I am the mother of eleven children. Way out of the scope of this question, but my opinion is to go for the second child! My hardest number was three.
We had our daughter and when it was okay started trying for the second one. They are 20 months apart. I was on bed rest with both. I could have been paralyzed with the second one (I have a broken back).Best decision! Everyone is healthy. She loves her little brother. Always tries to play with him (he is almost 4 months and she just turned 2). She worries when he cries, smothers him in hugs and kisses, and loves him more than her parents . I always wanted 2 or 4 but 2 is enough (due to age and health issues). I grew up with a brother and it was the best. Itās a lot of work but very doable. I have 2 little kids in diapers, a big garden that I tend to every day, a household (cleaning cooking, laundry, etc.), we just got a puppy (another child), and Iām going back to school (I was going to med school when found out I was pregnant and needed to postpone). Anything is possible, you just have to want it bad enough! Good luck to you in either decision!
Going from one to two children is great and is necessary for your first child needs a playmate and a sibling to grow, play and commiserate with. Thereās nothing like sibling rivalry and sibling bond. Besides, it will give you a break from always having to entertain one child because the second one will create the companionship for the first. Youāll see.
I have two one of each. It is really good to have at least two if you can. The one child will not be by there self they will have someone to play with and not always feel alone.
Yes yes yes have 1ā2 child your 1st child and you will love the 3rd 1It will be not bad but itās not going to be easy either you will love them both I know I did my 1st to my second to my 3rd 2 hey Iām 70 this year and I still have a child itās not bad I guess Iāll always be daddy bye.
My first child was a girl. I decided to have another one so my first would have company and I wished I would have stuck with one .They didnāt get along and still halfway do but they love each other. Your circumstance might be different. Two for me spelled trouble.
I have 2, 2 years apart. One of each. They are still close and both are in their 40ās.
I am an only child and wish I had a sibling especially as my mom ages and gets needier. Someone to help with things and to be there for each other. Thatās why I was adamant to have at least two and am currently 23 weeks with my second boy. Iām oddly not against 3 at this point if we can get a bigger house or addition. Iām worried itll be overwhelming with 2 also, but to me the benefits for my children far outweigh the few years of insanity lol
I would never have an only child by choice. Too hard on them later. But going from one to two was a big change but after that it was just another cup of water in the soup. I have 4 that are all grown now and wouldnāt change a thing.
It no harder with one then with two I had mine 7 years apart but then there is 4 years between my second and third I wish they were a little closer in age but other than that I love all my babies and couldnāt imagine my life any different
One to two is pretty uneventful. Prayed about having three and so glad I did because she is my best friend. So glad I had more than one and now I have six precious grands.
I have 3 girls and 1 boy they are the best of friends.and iām one of 8 and love having all these sibling.Yes times were trying sometimes but you do what you have to do and i would of had it no other way.
my kids are almost 7 years apart, at frist, my daughter loved her little brother, but, around 2 years old, and he was getting into her room and she was not happy about this, and locks didnāt keep him out. he would always find a way in. there was alot of fighting sometimes, but, when my son got into his teen years. it was all good again, there best friends now, Iām glad them have each other . there now 35 and 27. them years fly by so fast. but, all kids have there good and bad days, just like us all. I would say go for it, have the 2nd one
When you are older and need care, it is good for both children to share the care. Hard for an only child to shoulder the burden alone.
I have 2 Children and sometimes wish I had had more. I have been blessed with really great kids! Weigh the pros and cons. Personally Iām glad for the two I have as I ended up being a single sole support parent. I wouldnāt want just one child, I think itās better if they have at least one sibling so they can support one another.
Are you financially ready for another child? Did you talk it over with your husband? I have 3 daughters, sometimes I didnāt know how I was going to get through it, but it all turned out good. I would of liked to have atleast 7, couldnāt afford them. But if you have good family support & youāre ready for double the work, God Bless You.
I have just the one child. She is 17 next month. My husband has a very busy job and travels so two kids would have been a nightmare. I will always wonder i guess but too late now.
I found that the biggest change was going from 1 to 2. I have a total of 5 and once I got past 2 it didnāt seem to make any difference. Ages were 11 years from youngest to oldest and 4 were boys. # 2 was a daughter.
Had 1 son wanted 2 kids lots of problems 12 years later had my 2nd son wish they had been closer together because oldest went to college when youngest started kindergarten They are both adults now and getting closerā:heart:
Speaking as an only child I have to say I would not wish that on anyone. You get a lit of attention and dont have to share but there is no one to talk to sometimes and no one to share that tidbit of news with you dont want Mom or Dad to know. The worst part is when they are both gone and you have no one to share memories with. That really hurts.
Okay so if itās hard enough with one, fast-forward five or six years when theyāre both in sports when they both have school schedules when they both have daycare and see if you can handle that picture before having another child. Also do you have a support system in place? Do you have the money to raise a second child? If you and your husband split up for whatever reason are you able to do single parent hood on your own? Do you have the finances to pay for two children in daycare if you have to work? Is your child an easy child or is your child a hard one? How does your partner or husband feel about having another child in the house? Will it benefit you or hinder you? When you can write down that list of questions and answer them thereās your answer
I have 2 children and 2 grandsons and they are a joy I love my siblings there are 3 of us .they are my rocks knew me as a child and we always stand up for each other If you can give your child a sib they will thank you
I had 5 pregnancies but lost two babies. I now have 3 adult daughters and many grandchildren. In my old age I look back with regrets I didnāt have at least one or two more. Crazyā¦sure! It is a lot of work but you manage. The love I have today with my large family is a blessing. My girls are always there for me. I am not worried about growing old or lonely. I was an only childā¦now all my family is gone except for my daughters and grandchildren. Have at least one more or two. Children are a blessing!!
I was an only child for 14 years and then my sister surprised us. We were never close and it really felt like I was an only child. I always wanted a close brother or sister.
The greatest blessing God could ever give you itās more than one child one child or more you need to decide if giving your life to your children is more important then doing things without them I guess each person is different
I always knew that I wanted two kids. I had two because I wanted my first to have a sibling, to have someone to play with. Mine are 3 years apart.
Athens second is a hundred times harder when u would think it would only be twice as hard
If ur not sure now is not the time u need to be 100 percent sure. You have one perfect blessing already One child is a perfect number
If you have any doubts stay with the one, I did and donāt regret it.
I donāt regret having just one. I have plenty of nieces and nephews, plus one grandchild and one great-grandchild to fill the void.
I have a daughter 38 coming a son 32 and another son 31 and I loved every moment of them growing Up, today they are adults and we have 5 grandsons that bring so much joy, bless them.
I had 4 in 4 years and 2 months to the day. I enjoyed every day of it. They are all married and have 1 to 6 each. We are a big happy family and get together once a month.
My wife and I each have a grow child my son was 17 and my stepdaughter was 13 when we found out she was pregnant and got married. We discussed did we want to raise basically another only child in the house. We decided to have another child because we didnāt want to have the loneliness and spioling that comes with being an only child
So now our children are 31 and 26. 14 and 13 and we can tell a world of difference in them. The 2 youngest are very close and completely different attitudes from the older 2. Now im sure most of the difference was that my wife and I were older amd could look back and see some of the mistakes we made with the older kids, but a good portion of it is the younger 2 growing up together.
Mine are 45 41 38 24 twin 23 they are all so very close. Thankfull for all 6 and so far my 12 gtandkids meny more to come. Love a big family the only down fall im always broke god bless
I have 13 and 15. First was planned second was a gift. Didnt want a second because my oldest had many health issues and i was worried i wouldnt have enough time or energy for another. But you find the time and energy.
My second daughter was a complete surprise my oldest was planned using ovulation test kits my son was planned because we both wanted a son and willing to give it one more try. . If my 3rdvwouls have been a girl I still would have stopped there
I had two girls 21 months apartā¦Husband traveled a lot for work. At first it was hardā¦ as they grew they had each other to play withā¦ I had a brother and it was great to have a siblingā¦ I donāt know how old your child is now. That makes a difference. It will be hard at first with a newborn but it isnāt like the first when you were not sure what you were in for! I thought Iād be at home, relaxing and eating bon bonās with the firstā¦ You know how that goes!
I have six and wouldnāt change my life for anything!
I was only able to conceive one child. Divorced my ex when he was 2. Now he is 21 and has no siblings. When I am gone he will have no one. Have more kids. Also I am only child and have to take care of my disabled mother. It sucks to be an only child!
I had only one and I totally regret not having another, my hubby was an alcoholic and never helped me and I was afraid he would not help with the 2nd bit now so wish I had had another