As a mom of an only child, I live in the land of Moms of Many. Our life can get lonely. Complicated. I often feel we are an anomaly. An oddity.
When I meet with a new group of people or a new person, I often get asked, “How many kids do you have?” When I explain, “just one,” their face seems to say, “are you sure you don’t have any more hiding at home under the bed?”
After their acceptance, that yes, I do indeed just have one, I get the look, the look of all the unasked questions. Did you choose to have one? Did circumstance choose for you? Have you tried….? Are you trying? Have you miscarried?
There are many reasons a family has one child, why does it have to be strange?
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderful made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes say my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!” Psalms 139: 13-17 NIV
My Someplace Else is that the Lord has called me to be a mom to an only. My only. The Lord has chosen this little guy for us and we are so very blessed and thankful. Here are a few things I’ve observed from being a mom to an only:
Only’s are wonderful and so uniquely them
Only’s find it easier to talk to adults
Only’s will often be found observing verses participating
Only’s will ask you about sibling interactions, especially fighting
Only’s still love to play with people of any age
Only’s are very intentional on who they invite into their space
The sad side to being a mom of an only, is that we often get stood up. We often have friends not show up to Birthday Parties. Remember, intentional? The absent guest is very apparent when the seat is empty. We are often left out of events and play dates with the matching puzzle piece families.
Now that we have dove into the homeschool world, I’ve discovered something. Most of the curriculum and podcast and books are geared towards large families. Unfortunately, it sends the message that families most be large to homeschool. Who homeschools and only child? We do!
Readers, I would love to hear your thoughts. Are you an only? Parent to an only? Friend to an only?