We also have just one child (daughter) and have no plans for another, at least in the forseeable future. Our neighbor across the street told us we have to have another, she needs a brother or sister to play with, or else she's going to be lonely, etc. etc. And we get the same thing from just about everybody who has children, either overt or implied in some way. It really is a stigma that is hard to ignore; just about all families we know here have two kids, which seems to be the socially preferred number here.
Ironically the neighbor always wanted a girl and has instead two boys, and our daughter loves the two boys, so she always goes over to their house after school and is treated like a little sister and daughter that they always wanted. The mom actually is making doll clothes for her dolls. She's like a member of their family half the time.
Since China adopted its one-child policy there have been many studies of one-child families there, and the psychological differences. They've found actually that children with siblings have more problems in general than children without siblings; and that kids without siblings actually seem to be better socialized for some reason.
Here's one study:
Quote:
Title: Health effects of family size: cross sectional survey in Chinese adolescents
Author(s): Hesketh T, Qu JD, Tomkins A
Source: ARCHIVES OF DISEASE IN CHILDHOOD 88 (6): 467-471 JUN 2003
Abstract: Aims: To determine whether only children differ in terms of morbidity, nutritional status, risk behaviours, and utilisation of health services from children with siblings, in China.
Methods: A cross sectional survey was carried out using self completion questionnaires, anthropometry, and haemoglobin measurement in middle schools (predominant age 12-16 years) in three distinct socioeconomic areas of Zhejiang province, eastern China.
Results: Data were obtained for 4197 participants. No significant differences were found between only children and those with siblings for some key indicators: underweight 19% v 18% suicide ideation 14% v 14%, and ever smoking 17% v 15%. Only children were more likely to be overweight (4.8% v 1.5%), and to have attended a doctor (71% v 63%) or dentist (17% v 10%) in the past year. Sibling children are significantly more likely to be anaemic (42% v 32%) and to admit to depression (41% v 21 %) or anxiety (45% v 37%). However, after adjusting for area, sex, and parental education levels only two differences remained: sibling children are more likely to be bullied (OR 1.5, 1.1-2.0; p = 0.006) and are less likely to confide in parents (OR 0.6, 0.3-0.8, p = 0.009). There were no significant differences in the key parameters between first and second born children.
Conclusions: We found no detrimental effects of being an only child using the indicators measured.. Being an only child may confer some benefits, particularly in terms of socialisation.
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