| In the past, large families were commonplace | | | | difficulties sending any of them to college. |
| with an average of 3 children being the | | | | Only children also never have to suffer from |
| common statistic. Having only one child was | | | | sibling jealousy, while some children from |
| rare, and that child was assumed to be a | | | | average size families carry this hostility |
| spoiled, rotten brat. In recent years, due to | | | | into adulthood. These only children also may |
| improved birth control and the fact that many | | | | enjoy a closer relationship to their parents |
| couples are waiting until they are older to | | | | than other children, as these youngsters tend |
| have children, only children are becoming | | | | to go on trips with their parents more often |
| more common. This does not mean that there | | | | than their peers. Mothers of only children |
| are a large percentage of single-child homes | | | | are also more likely to take the child along |
| however. Many people still feel that having | | | | to run errands such as going to the grocery |
| an only child is undesirable and that having | | | | store, something that mothers with several |
| at least two children is necessary for normal | | | | youngsters may not consider to be an option. |
| childhood development to occur. Although | | | | There are certain areas that parents of only |
| there are some disadvantages to having an | | | | children need to be careful with. There is |
| only child, there are also some advantages to | | | | nothing wrong with showing your child that |
| the situation. Only children seem to do | | | | you love him. The problem that arises with |
| better in school than children from | | | | only child is that the parent's love is all |
| average-sized families. This could be due to | | | | centered on him, especially if the child is |
| several factors. Parents have more time to | | | | the result of years of the parents attempting |
| help an only child with their homework. With | | | | to have a baby. These parents should make |
| several children, parents may only have the | | | | sure that they keep outside interests so that |
| time to quickly check the answers to make | | | | your child will realize that he is not the |
| sure that they are correct. Only children | | | | center of the universe. Only children also |
| often have better language and communicative | | | | have more difficulty in social situations |
| skills than their peers. This is due to the | | | | with their peers. Children with siblings grow |
| fact that as the child is growing up, he is | | | | up knowing how to interact with other |
| spending much more time around adults than a | | | | children, while the only child spends most of |
| child with several siblings. It is only | | | | his childhood with adults. Enrolling your |
| natural that the child would pick up adult | | | | child in a group daycare center or making |
| language patterns and vocabulary. Only | | | | play dates with other children when your |
| children are also more likely to attend | | | | child is young can help him learn to deal |
| college. This is due in part to higher scores | | | | with his peers. There is nothing wrong with |
| in high school. It is also a result of | | | | parents having only one child. It is how |
| parents of an only child having more money | | | | these parents deal with the situation that |
| available to pay tuition. This is a | | | | can make a world of difference. |
| combination of the lower costs of raising one | | | | |
| child as well as the fact that many parents | | | | Find helpful and creative ideas for parents |
| of only children are older and more | | | | and grandparents while you shop our |
| financially established than their younger | | | | affordable kids furniture. For more |
| counterparts. With college costs today, | | | | information, visit this article on wooden toy |
| families with more than one child may have | | | | boxes. |