SIBLING RIVALRY?

I am an only child and my husband and I have one daughter, three-years-old. We are considering having more children, but as much as I intellectually believe it's a great idea, I am frankly horrified at the prospect of having sibling rivalry in my home. I can barely tolerate my parents arguing over where to have dinner, much less having the kind of hitting and biting and dirty tricks I've witnessed my childhood friends and their siblings experience. My husband tells me that my fears are greatly exaggerated, but he would - he is the oldest of three boys! I can't possibly be the first only child bewildered by the prospect of how to manage relationships between her or her "non-only" children. What resources can you suggest?

Well-ADJUSTED AND QUITE HAPPY!

I am 40 years old and an only child. Back in the 70's when I was growing up, I was an oddity. I was pretty much the only kid without siblings. I wished I had some, but I was still well-adjusted and quite happy.

Now, however, I am actually quite thrilled to be an only child. I enjoy that I am free to make my own decisions about my life without alot of interference from siblings. I am also raising an only child, who is also quite comfortable that way.

The myth of the spoiled rotten, selfish, anti-social only child needs to be crushed. I think, being an only child actually made me less selfish and less anti-social. I had to get out there and make more friends and be more sociable, because if I didn't, I would always be lonely.

I have also learned there is a huge difference between being lonely and being alone. I love being alone. I thrive on it. People say "you must be lonely". No. Not at all. I'm just very comfortable and happy by myself. That's not lonely at all. Being an only child taught me how to entertain myself and enjoy myself.

Only children are probably some of the most well-adjusted people on earth. But I guess that's our little secret, isn't it?