Image by serrano1004 from Pixabay
We are living in a new era, one in which family as we knew it (mom, dad, 2 kids) is being redefined in myriad ways by changed social and economic factors. Today’s parents are re-defining family. Across the United States, and in countries such as England, France, China, Korea, and Canada, one-child households have become the celebrated modern norm and the fastest growing family unit. Nonetheless, you may wonder:
- Is one child right for me? Am I being selfish?
- No sibling: Am I cheating my child?
- What are the benefits of being an only child?
- Why the “selfish, lonely only” stereotypes no longer hold up
- How do I raise a well-adjusted, compassionate only child?
- Is caring for aging or ill parents too much for one child?
Just One, my new book, offers reassurance and evidence-based answers for these and similar concerns. Drawing from groundbreaking research and intimate conversations with only children and their parents, you learn the facts that dismantle the old stereotypes that no longer reflect today’s realities.
The striking changes in cultural norms influence how many children people have: women needing to or wanting to work, having babies later, the high cost of raising children and the lack of affordable quality daycare, plus looming climate change. Any one of which may influence your thinking. Empowering, deeply validating, and filled with fresh perspectives, you’ll be able to sort out what you want and make confident decisions, free from guilt or worry about your only child’s childhood or future. Being an only child comes with significant advantages giving only children an edge, However, the bottom line is: Only children are more like children with siblings than they are different.