Hellobee Boards

I have one brother, and I wish I had more siblings. We aren't super close, and there was a long stretch before I had kids that just felt....kind of empty whenever we were home. Its more lively now that we both have partners and kids, but when we were older teens/in our twenties holidays and visits at home kind of felt like a bummer a little bit. Just quiet and boring. I am very close with my parents, and I love my brother a lot but he is a quiet, reserved person and busy with his own life so we don't have that much of a relationship (I try very hard!).

That said, my husband has two sisters and his entire family basically all hates each other, and visits at their house suck even with little kids around, so I also realize that more children doesn't guarantee anything.

We have two kids now and are planning to try for a third in the next few months. When I think about my family long term I'd really like to have four children, but I'm honestly not sure I can handle pregnancy and the newborn stage of sleep deprivation a fourth time.

I have two siblings and I like this number. I have good relationships with both of my siblings. However, I was the odd one out so that has been a tough thing about being one of 3.

Can I just trade one particular one?

JK! Maybe...

More, because I always wanted holidays to be like in the movies, with tonnes of siblings and partners and kids talking around a giant table. I have one brother and he's great but for some reason always saw four as the perfect number. I also, in retrospect, would have liked a sister.

I think it's easy to say you'd want more siblings without thinking about the consequences of that. I have one brother and we have a very good relationship but I always wished I had a sister too, and I think it would be so fun to have a big group of siblings to all hang out at adults. But then I think about the fact that my parents sent us both to private school and private universities with no debt. We went on family vacations to places like Europe and Hawaii. We each got a car when we got our licenses (something handed down from our parents but safe, reliable, not a million year old cars). I have amazing relationships with both of my parents who were both simply always there for me physically and emotionally whenever I needed them. (Heck they still are, two years ago when my son was born and my husband was very ill my dad dropped everything and flew across the country to help with 6 hours warning before the flight left on the day before Thanksgiving). I know my parents wouldn't have been able to give us all the same opportunities and attention if resources were spread among more siblings.

i have a brother and sister and that seems great to me! we aren't super close but we all have each other and get along and i have always felt like 5 people = family. so it was a fairly easy decision for us to have 3.

I'm the oldest of 4 and those rugrats are enough!!!

I'm one of three. It's the best number!

I only have one brother and I've always wanted more siblings. I don't think it would have negatively impacted family dynamic in regards to opportunities or attention as mentioned above, I think it would have just given me more of a chance of connecting with someone.

I wouldn't change it. I have 5 siblings. Sure, the ones furthest in age aren't super close, but it is really fun to have that span of experiences and ages as a family. Sure we were a little crazy at times and I'm sure my mother had dark thoughts at us occasionally, but we all get along well and look out for each other still.

I think that in larger families, you sacrifice for each other. I dropped competitive gymnastics so my brothers could have soccer games on the weekends. I may not have liked going to Legoland as a teenager for my younger siblings, but I got to see how much they appreciated it and tried to make it fun for them. We supported each other by attending recitals, competitions, award ceremonies, etc.

I have one brother, and though I would have liked to have had a sister, I agree with many of @Truth Bombs:’s reasons for being content with just one sibling. Also, I don’t think my parents could have afforded more than 2 kids.

I'm an only child and have always hated it. Even more now that I'm an adult. This is one of the major reasons that I want to have a third kid.

I have one sister who came along almost ten years after I was born. At the time, I was very excited to be getting a sibling. I probably would have been fine if I'd stayed an only child, but I'm happy to have my sister. I think I would have had a much different personality and upbringing if there were more siblings.

I think I’d prefer to have more. I have one brother who’s 5 years older. We’ve never been very close. I’d love to have a younger sibling. But, I know that would have been too much for my parents.

I have two sisters. Most of my childhood I only had one though, so it was a huge change to have a baby sister when I turned 13. that said, I couldn't imagine my teen years without them both! However, I always wished for an older brother to protect me from bullies

couldn't help but notice that if we wished our parents had fewer children, everyone seems to be effortlessly offering up their siblings. no volunteers to have never been born?

I guess I'd stay with being one of three even though I didn't get a car. but that's in hindsight. when I was 16 I probably would have taken the car instead of my little brother.

@Mrs. D: confirmed over the years with my friends who also have one: frequently, older brothers don't protect you from bullies. they chase you and frighten you when you're little and ignore you when you're older

I am the oldest of three with a large age gap, it's really like I grew up as an only child and I behave that way, unfortunately. I longed for a sister, but I filled that gap with friends of my choosing.

I have one much younger brother, probably in part because of the large age gap and in part because of personality and life choices, we are not very close.

I think a big part of why in an ideal world I would love three kids close in age is because I did feel lonely growing up - no cousins nearby, my parents were strict about letting us play with other kids, so mostly it was myself and a book. However, I recognize that things don't usually resemble the ideal you have in your head and if I had more siblings - or a sibling closer in age - things very well could have been worse. My parents intentionally chose two kids far apart because that's what they felt like they could best handle financially and emotionally, and hence it's probably the case that this was the best scenario for my childhood. I know in making their family planning decisions, they had my best interests in mind.

I have one sibling (a brother), and while I wouldn't trade him or our childhood for anything, as an adult I would LOVE to have a sister.

I probably wouldn't have enjoyed having one growing up though