What is National Only Child Day?
The individual child, the siblingless, the one and onlies, are among National Only Child Day's highlights on April 12th. You know who you are. These days, there are more of you than in decades past.
According to Pew Research, the number of families with only one child has doubled since 1970. According to statistics from 2014, 22 percent of women aged 40-44 had given birth to only one child. The estimates continue to trend upwards in comparison to those from the United States Census Bureau.
What these statistics don't tell you is that being an only child comes with certain rewards and some pitfalls as well. Many only children are raving about the benefits of never having to wait their turn to use the toilet, which is unless they live in a multi-generational household. Their parents' attention is rarely divided because there aren't many siblings screaming for their attention – except, of course, the only child was raised by a single parent in two, perhaps three jobs.
An only child tends to be safe and loved, as well. Since finances aren't divided between multiple siblings, children often have their choice of extra-curricular activities growing up. These activities have the added benefit of social interaction and friendships.
Although only children don't have sibling rivalries, they do have to make decisions about elderly parents alone, although only children don't have sibling rivalries. Sometimes parents make these decisions more difficult, and being an independent advisor is freeing an only child. However, for those that are not familiar with the process, it can be a challenge. Facing the death of one or both parents, particularly if both of them were older, can make the grieving process difficult to bear.
