two kids vs. one: more work for parents or do they entertain each other?

[HeiressofBickworth]

5. There are pros and cons

I was the oldest of three kids. Next one was 3 years younger. We fought all the time and as adults, we do not have a relationship. The one after that was 10 years younger -- I was married and gone when she was 9. I also have no relationship with her. Since they spent more time in the home together, they have a relationship with each other.

I had one child. I was divorced when she was 2. It was easier to have one child than to take care of and provide for more when I was on my own. It is a challenge to teach an only child to have compassion for others, to view the world in something other than a self-centered point of view. That seems to be easier with more than one child. Now that she is an adult, I tell her that since she is my only heir, she doesn't have to worry about some disgruntled sibling demanding a better split of the goods (LOL).

As I've told my daughter, deciding when and how many to reproduce is an intensely personal matter and the answer for one person may not be the answer for another.