I just saw the thread for the Moms of Only's tribe and followed the link. Excited to connect with other moms of an only! We have debated on trying for another child, our 15 month DD is such a miracle and wonder. I really don't think I want to change the beautiful dynamic we have going. We are going to homeschool and I am a bit hesitant about her not having siblings if not going to school, but I am getting over that!
Look forward to chatting with you! 
I'm another mom of one! Life is challenging with just one, so we're going to stay a nice sized family of 2.
Well hello! I hope it's ok that I joined this group, I actually have 2 children but they are 15 years apart. I'm unschooling my son who is 6 and I didn't realize how challenging an "only" child could be. I look forward to getting to know you!
Hello everyone. I'm the mother of an amazing little 8 month old boy. Right now I work full time, but DH and I are trying to work it out so I can be a SAHM. He just finished his master's degree on Friday (woo hoo!), so hopefully he will get a job soon and we can just live off his income. He's been the SAHP since I went back to work at 8 weeks post partum, and we are both ready to switch jobs with each other. :)
If it were solely up to DH, he'd make an appointment to get the big V tomorrow, but I'm just not ready for such a permanent solution. I am about 90% sure I only want the one baby, but who knows what I'll be feeling in a few years? But I can definitely imagine our little trio family's future and I really like what I 'see'.
Also, myself, CI Mama and iris777888 are the group leaders right now. Cynthia is still the group mod, but I think we are going to help out too. Please feel free to start any new threads you like, and tell other MDC-ers to join us!
Hello, everyone! My DD is 3.5 years old. My partner & I are thrilled to be parents, but it was a long, crazy journey to get there, and the stars aren't going to align for it to happen again. (We're a lesbian couple, it took quite awhile to conceive, I was 38 when DD was born, had a very rough labor/delivery, followed by major sleep issues...so let's just say that I'm glad we aren't going to do THAT again.)
We get some curiosity about whether or not we're going to have another kid, but no pressure.
My main focus with my only child is to raise her well so that she never feels like something is "missing" from her life. And she's not a spoiled brat. 
Glad to be joining you here!
My name is Melaya and I am a single mom to one seven year old dd. My situation is funky, because I have had three kids since her and placed them for adoption. So she isn't exactly and only kid (she sees her birth siblings pretty regularly), but her day to day life is like that of an only child.
For years it was fine, but the older she gets...the more I feel bad about her being an only. She isn't really very social. So my visions of her running around with the neigbor kids, etc. have not really happened. She spends most of her time at home with me and my parents. She says that she is fine with it, so maybe I worry for nothing. She also has a best friend and she spends every other weekend at her house, so I guess she gets a lot sibling type interaction then.
I see the pros and cons to having an only. And that is our situation right now, so we are making the best of it. :)
Hi,
I have a 7 y.o. DD. We struggled with infertility so she is going to be an only. I'm ok with that most of the time but sometimes comments do get to me.
I'm looking forward to getting to know you all! :)
Hi mamas!
My little only is 2 years old tomorrow! We are having one by choice which I keep reiterating to anyone who asks us (mostly our parents). We feel complete the way we are. We also know ourselves enough to know that we want to continue to move forward and not have to start over from babyhood where we felt very restricted. Perhaps that sounds selfish but like I said, we know ourselves.
Someone asked me this past weekend if Z asks for siblings. Of course, being just 2 she really has no real concept that she doesn't have a sibling. Also, of the 4 people sitting in the group I am the only one with a good relationship with my sibling, reminding myself that a good relationship isn't always guaranteed.
Anyway, moving beyond that... I'm looking forward to chatting with other moms who are happy to have just one! 
My daughter is 4, almost 5. DH and I know we don't want any more children and DD is a very happy, sociable little thing. I'm looking forward to chatting and "meeting" everyone in this group.
Hello, all! I'm glad we were able to get this social group started. Our other 82 page thread was a bit unwieldy, made it hard to have discussions.
We planned for one and like it this way! Our son recently turned five. We hope to do a lot of traveling with him, starting soonish. :) He's pretty sociable, a bit more than DH or I, and my biggest challenge so far is getting out of my comfort zone to make sure he has lots of time to play with other kids.
We hope to do a lot of traveling with him, starting soonish. :) He's pretty sociable, a bit more than DH or I, and my biggest challenge so far is getting out of my comfort zone to make sure he has lots of time to play with other kids.
I cannot wait to start traveling with Z!! I know for us it will be easier with just her!!!! I am familiar with getting out of the "comfort zone," too! I have a hard time trying to strike up conversations with other parents on the playground. ha!
Hey everyone! 
So glad we got this group started - thanks to the leaders and the mod!
We are another lil happy trio - DS is almost 13 months old and is such a happy, spunky, outgoing lil dude! He loves to laugh and dance and cracks up at jokes (and, naturally, I think he is amazing and brilliant!). He is the light of my life, and I am so blessed to be able to be a SAHM to him (not that this didn't come with sacrifices - it was very much a conscious priority over other things, like new car, new home, spending money, etc.).
Whew! This kid is on wheels - and he is spirited/HN, always has been since he was a wee one - this has made me a better mother, for sure (led me to AP, etc.), but I'd be lying if I said it didn't figure into my only wanting one! We do have many other reasons...environmental, financial, stress level, ability to do things we love (whether leisure activities, or going to listen to music, see art, meet friends, travel, etc. - though the budget for this has been pretty much slashed, haha).
I am just not a tiny baby person - I never have been, and I never will be the kind that goes gaga over newborns and itty bitty clothes (if anything, even more so now, that I know how much work is involved behind the scenes!). So, there's that (don't get me wrong, I loved my baby as a wee one! But "baby fever" is alien to me...
). In fact, the whole time I was pg, I kept thinking of DS as a toddler, never a baby...so that was a bit of a shock (however, I joke that it was really clairvoyant, seeing as how he was wearing 2T by 8 months! )
I am really digressing...point being, as DH so eloquently put it the other day to me, "My desire to reproduce has been fulfilled." 
I adore my husband and my baby boy - we have so much love in this house, have so much fun hanging out together, why mess that up, when we don't feel we are missing anything? I just can't fathom restarting the baby clock, let alone doing that AND having a toddler (kudos to moms who can swing it!). Yikes!
Also, I am really diggin' the idea of homeschooling him (in an unschooling way) even though he is an only, there are some hs/us groups around here I'm going to check out, plus activities, etc. - the flexibility, love of learning, independence - and ability to travel along with DH, whether for work or for pleasure. It suits our style. 
Hey everyone! So glad we got this group started - thanks to the leaders and the mod!
We are another lil happy trio - DS is almost 13 months old and is such a happy, spunky, outgoing lil dude! He loves to laugh and dance and cracks up at jokes (and, naturally, I think he is amazing and brilliant!). He is the light of my life, and I am so blessed to be able to be a SAHM to him (not that this didn't come with sacrifices - it was very much a conscious priority over other things, like new car, new home, spending money, etc.).
Whew! This kid is on wheels - and he is spirited/HN, always has been since he was a wee one - this has made me a better mother, for sure (led me to AP, etc.), but I'd be lying if I said it didn't figure into my only wanting one! We do have many other reasons...environmental, financial, stress level, ability to do things we love (whether leisure activities, or going to listen to music, see art, meet friends, travel, etc. - though the budget for this has been pretty much slashed, haha).
I am just not a tiny baby person - I never have been, and I never will be the kind that goes gaga over newborns and itty bitty clothes (if anything, even more so now, that I know how much work is involved behind the scenes!). So, there's that (don't get me wrong, I loved my baby as a wee one! But "baby fever" is alien to me...). In fact, the whole time I was pg, I kept thinking of DS as a toddler, never a baby...
I feel like you wrote this for me!!!! Right now it seems like everyone around me is having #2 and I keep asking DH if there is something wrong with me because the thought of another baby makes me PANIC. 
Also, I may have said this before but now that we're just at the point where Z is getting settled in to traveling a little bit, getting more independent, etc, I can't imagine going backwards.
Hi, DH is sure he only wants one--and I am not sure, but at age 41 a #2 is looking unlikely. (I grew up in a large family, and I can only think of how lonely DS will be.) So, I've come here to learn from you wise women about raising a non-lonely only. Honestly, I am not happy about this idea, but am trying hard to grow into it. Thanks for showing me the way!
Pittsburrito
I feel like you wrote this for me!!!! Right now it seems like everyone around me is having #2 and I keep asking DH if there is something wrong with me because the thought of another baby makes me PANIC.
I completely understand!!! 
There have been times when I've briefly considered having another kid (sometimes, all this research into parenting, education, etc. seems like I should have more to justify it! haha), but it's never for the right reasons, and it comes to a VERY swift end when I imagine taking care of a baby again!!! 
And I'm totally with you on the independence - the more DS grows, the more I'm like, "man, what did we DO before?!?!" The entire past year is a total blur - I'm so thankful to have a happy, healthy lil toddler kid! We are just getting to the point we can do more activities, have dance parties, read longer books, etc.
The other day we were driving down the road and I had one of those 
moments - "OMG - we are in the car, almost home after running a couple errands, and...he hasn't been screaming his poor lil head off the entire time!" I used to have to ride in the back with him and try to nurse him, sing to him, play with him - but he was still usually totally inconsolable, even on the shortest trip (it was soooo sad). Nowadays, he'll play with a toy, watch cars out the window, dance to music, talk to me, eat a snack. He can even sometimes fall asleep when I'm driving if I sing to him. It's so nice for the both of us! 
I just love the freedom it gives us - one of us (DH or I) can be interacting with him while the other does something (like cook, clean, etc.) - we can take him with us everywhere we go, instead of one parent staying home with "the kids" - the spontaneity and flexibility is wonderful.
I completely understand!!! There have been times when I've briefly considered having another kid (sometimes, all this research into parenting, education, etc. seems like I should have more to justify it! haha), but it's never for the right reasons, and it comes to a VERY swift end when I imagine taking care of a baby again!!!
And I'm totally with you on the independence - the more DS grows, the more I'm like, "man, what did we DO before?!?!" The entire past year is a total blur - I'm so thankful to have a happy, healthy lil toddler kid! We are just getting to the point we can do more activities, have dance parties, read longer books, etc.
The other day we were driving down the road and I had one of those moments - "OMG - we are in the car, almost home after running a couple errands, and...he hasn't been screaming his poor lil head off the entire time!" I used to have to ride in the back with him and try to nurse him, sing to him, play with him - but he was still usually totally inconsolable, even on the shortest trip (it was soooo sad). Nowadays, he'll play with a toy, watch cars out the window, dance to music, talk to me, eat a snack. He can even sometimes fall asleep when I'm driving if I sing to him. It's so nice for the both of us!
I just love the freedom it gives us - one of us (DH or I) can be interacting with him while the other does something (like cook, clean, etc.) - we can take him with us everywhere we go, instead of one parent staying home with "the kids" - the spontaneity and flexibility is wonderful.
You mean they don't cry in their carseats forever!!!!??? 
Originally Posted by pickle18
Nowadays, he'll play with a toy, watch cars out the window, dance to music, talk to me, eat a snack. He can even sometimes fall asleep when I'm driving if I sing to him. It's so nice for the both of us!
I just love the freedom it gives us - one of us (DH or I) can be interacting with him while the other does something (like cook, clean, etc.) - we can take him with us everywhere we go, instead of one parent staying home with "the kids" - the spontaneity and flexibility is wonderful.
(again, everything you wrote, I am there!)
Quote:
You mean they don't cry in their carseats forever!!!!???
Right mamas? Z is just 2 now and I can tell you it's only getting more AWESOME with time. 
The other day she played in her new garden house happily while DH & I worked the garden for a good half hour! I was like THIS is what I'm talking about. Not that we don't want to interact with her, but it's nice to have a good chunk of time to get something done while still spending time as a family! know what i mean??
and I totally hear you about the books! haha!
pittsburrito: I hope you can come to a peaceful place with your situation. 
You mean they don't cry in their carseats forever!!!!???
Hahaha! Well, I have to say, that 1.) DS is huge, so we turned him around early and that also helps , 2.) he still fusses a bit, but mostly doesn't scream, unless I REALLY push the amount of errands and/or timing - that said, I still sit in the back on longer drives, or if DH is available to chauffeur us.
Hahaha! Well, I have to say, that 1.) DS is huge, so we turned him around early and that also helps , 2.) he still fusses a bit, but mostly doesn't scream, unless I REALLY push the amount of errands and/or timing - that said, I still sit in the back on longer drives, or if DH is available to chauffeur us.
That sounds wonderful, I'll take it!
The other day she played in her new garden house happily while DH & I worked the garden for a good half hour! I was like THIS is what I'm talking about. Not that we don't want to interact with her, but it's nice to have a good chunk of time to get something done while still spending time as a family! know what i mean??
I know exactly what you mean - it's nice to have them engage as a part of the family in a new way! I am hoping to start being able to cook again soon, and look forward to gardening with him this year...he's really getting into being part of what we're doing and imitating us. It's great!
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