Why I Chose to Have a One-Child Family
I’ve never considered myself much of a kid person. Sure, I think they’re adorable and fun to be around, but I never envisioned myself with a multiple-child family. I never really even thought I’d even have one, to be honest. Now that my daughter’s nine years old, I realized that our family will always be a one-child family.
I’ll never be outnumbered
OK, I realize this might sound silly, but hear me out a bit. Whether I go to the grocery store or on a trip to Disneyland, it’s refreshing knowing that I only have one child to take care of. I was one of four children growing up, so I can’t even begin to imagine how stressful it must have been for my mom to care for four kids.
On that same note, I also love that if my daughter gets sick, it’s only her. I don’t worry about extra trips to the doctor, extra sleepless nights, or the extra stress that comes with having a sick household.
I have an everyday battle with mom guilt
One of my biggest struggles with motherhood has always been mom guilt. From the indicial guilt of going back to school only two weeks after delivery to feeling bad every time I make plans for myself, mom guilt always finds a way in. When debating additional children, the idea of having to deal with my negative feelings played a big role.
Ultimately, I decided that it’s just not worth it to deal with the constant battle of feeling shame for everything I choose to do and not do with my life.
I refuse to give in to social pressure
Society should never dictate how you choose to live your life, especially when it comes to decisions about your family. Whether you choose to have six children or no children at all, the outside world should have no say in it. One of the first questions I was asked after giving birth to my daughter was when I was planning to have a second child. My answer was always, “I don’t know, we’ll see.”
After years of being asked that same question, I’ve now permitted myself to say what I really feel, which is that I’m not planning to have any more kids at all. I get many confused, shocked, and fearful looks, but nothing I can’t handle.
