Raising A Child

We observe a rise in single child families in India due to a variety of reasons. For parents, it is good to know what the implications are, and take action where necessary. This article explains how to do that.

- Meena Sivaraman

Single child families come into being for many reasons. Some couples decide to have only one child, given the significant costs of schooling, extra curricular activities and other expenses. With grand parents and extended families living in far—off cities, young couples also feel lack of family support and prefer to keep the size of their own family, small. If both the parents are working, then they find that the time they have for the child is limited, and do not want to divide it between two or more children.

There may be medical reasons why a couple may not be able to have another child, and they may have decided not to adopt. Whatever be the reason for the situation, it is important to be aware of all the aspects of a single child family. Understanding these aspects will help parents mitigate the negative fall—outs, and be reassured of the positive ones.

How being the ‘only child’ benefits the child