Question for the Only Child

I'm an only child and my parents live on the other side of the World so I almost never get to spend holidays with them. I have relatives that live near me including two very young cousins that I love to see on the holidays and if I could I wouldn't mind seeing my parents more. I think it varies for different people and not exactly a function of being an only child. I mean I know people who grew up with siblings who don't want to spend that much time with their family because they found growing up with a large family stifling.

 

I'm an only child and I despise large family gatherings. If I could I would only spend time with my immediate family over the holidays. You're not alone here.

Then again I do not like to be around any people for extended lengths of time anyway.

 

I think every 2 maybe 3 years is best for the family reunion/ holiday tradition thing -- once a year is rough IMO. My family gets together twice a year and while their are some family members I enjoy seeing some are more in the 3 year category.



/Only child

 

I am an only child and I also don't like big social events. I don't know if it is because I am an only child, or because that's just how I grew up. I have a friend who grew up with 1 brother and 1 sister and doesn't like big social events also.

 

I'm NOT an only child, and I always HATED big mushy family gatherings.

Also depends on proximity, if your family lives within driving distance and you see them throughout the year anyways. Or if you live on opposite ends of the country. When I lived around family I didnt have much care about attending events. Now that I'm several states away and havent been around them for a long time I look more forward to reunions.

 

I the only child and I went to a big cookout today. I like being around the family but not for a long time.

 

Meant to say I am the only child.

 

I'm another only child...

I hated family gatherings as a younger child. I went out of the way to be a pain in the ass in most years. There was one aunt of mine I loved messing with because I could get her so riled up. It was really funny. One year I just quit, I guess because I was more mature, and she was so shocked that I wasn't pestering her.

Anyways, now that I'm older, I have to say I kinda look forward to the big family gatherings. I guess I just value my family and friends more. I will say this, however, I don't like to sit around and BS at the dinner table. I like the reunions best when they are at my parents' home, so I can go in the room and close the door when I get tired of people. Fortunately, almost all of the family gatherings that I attend are at my parents house.

 

i am the only child. i didn't notice it until i went away for school. all of friends are like calling their parents and chat. me, i can live without talking to them for a long time. my parents call me every couple of weeks anyways. so i am not sure if i am just lazy or not really into talking on the phone. i don't mind going to parties or family gatherings, but i can also stay home by myself for days. maybe it's just me. i spent a lot time with my parents, and still do. i moved home after graduate school. maybe it's a culture thing.

 

I came to the U.S. when I was 8 years old, and my parents didn't want to have another child after we moved here. Every time I come back for the holidays, it's so boring at home with just 3 people including myself. My other relatives are in China, so it's just my parents and I. When I was younger, I always wanted to have more relatives and family members that I could talk to. Maybe it's more of a hassle to do the family thing each year, but hey it's a lot better than spending Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the other holidays with 2 other people every year.

 

My family isn't very large, so I don't mind going to most gatherings. My grandma wants me to take her to a family reunion next month which I'm not looking forward to.

 

I'm an only kid. I like big gatherings, but no so much family. It's not really because of my status as an only child but more because I never got along very well with my extended family, particularly as I got older.

 

Hmmm. These answers are surprising me. I am an only child and, while I appreciate my parents, I always thought it would be cool if there were more of us. I like the group atmosphere. I grew up going to large family gatherings - big Christmases, Thanksgivings, etc. - a few times a year and always looked forward to them and enjoyed them. Whether my cousins annoyed me or we had fun together - and it did always turn out to be fun - I realized that this was a precious chance to feel what it would be like to have a sibling, and that this was all I would get of that experience. I'm glad I had that to break up the monotony, and wish we could have lived in the same town so we would be closer growing up.

After I moved to Texas, I tried to at least make it to Christmas stuff every year, though that was hard to schedule especially during the years I was with my ex. I came to realize it was all passing me by; I thought my friends would end up being my "family", but those families tend to be temporary. It's rare to find groups of friends who will stick by you for years, even if you move. In the small town where I have the closest ties, many of my friends are from large families that never lack for something to do on holidays. I could get together with my fiance's family (which is still relatively small and scattered), but we wanted to have more ties than that...

..so we're planning to move back to Alabama or Tennessee in a few months. We are getting the plans worked out for how to do that. Your family is precious. I see my mom about four times a year anyway (and saw my dad, too, when he was alive) and have always set aside money and time to do that, but it should be more pretty soon. Hopefully it's not too late to get to know my aunts, uncles, and cousins better. I am surprised more only children didn't feel the lack of family more if anything. My friends from bigger families often move and scatter from their siblings and don't even take time to think about what they've lost. Maybe they are just relieved to try things a different way for a change.