What is National Only Child Day?
National Only Child Day, April 12th, honors the individual child, the siblingless, the one, and onlies. You know who you are. You know who you are. There are more of you these days than in decades past.
According to Pew Research, the number of families with only one child has doubled since 1970. Those with only one child have doubled since 1970. Statistics show that 22 percent of women aged 40-44 had given birth to only one child in 2014. The estimates continue to trend upwards in comparison to those from the US Census Bureau's reports.
Being an only child comes with certain rewards and some pitfalls, as well as some pitfalls. Many only children are promoting the benefits of never having to wait their turn to use the toilet, which is unless they live in a multi-generational household. The only child was raised by a single parent in two, perhaps three jobs, so their parents' attention is rarely divided because there aren't many siblings screaming for their attention.
An only child tends to be safe and loved, as well as an older one. Since finances aren't divided between multiple siblings, children have a variety of extra-curricular activities to choose from. These activities also have the added benefit of social interaction and friendships.
Although only children have sibling rivalries, they do have to make decisions about aging parents alone, although most children don't have sibling rivalries. Parents make these decisions more difficult, and being an independent advisor is freeing an only child. However, for others, it can be a challenge. Both parents' death, particularly if one or both parents were deceased, can make the grieving process difficult to bear, as an only child.
