"As a parent, have you ever heard the advice that you HAVE to give your child another sibling? I know I was given this recommendation. Once “Mommy, play with me” became my child’s anthem at the age of 2, I started to think that another baby would be the perfect ‘gift’ for an only child. After all, what’s better than a permanent built-in playmate? When I started to contemplate having another child, there were a few examples of siblings that came to mind—the Hemsworth brothers, Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell, and the Hanson brothers. I thought, perfect. Have another child, and they’ll definitely turn out like them. Best friends.
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However, it may not be that simple. One mom’s hot take about parenting siblings has over 2 million views, 228K likes, and sparked tons of discussion in the comments. Her now-viral video has people giving their input on whether you should give your child a sibling or be one-and-done.
In the opening of mom Erin Monroe’s (@erin.monroe_) video, she is sitting on what seems to be a back porch. With the sun out, she puts on her sunglasses and talks directly to the camera. She starts off by sarcastically saying, “You can’t just have one [child]. You got to give them a sibling. They’ll be lonely. They’ll have nobody to play with.” It sounds like Monroe was given the same sibling advice I was given. Monroe then adds her own piece of advice. As a mom of three kids herself, she argues, “Don’t fall for it. They don’t play together. They don’t even like each other. They’re mortal enemies. Just have one and have some peace in your life. I haven’t known a moment’s peace in 10 years.”
Of course, this mom of three is sharing a satirical—and relatable—take on what it’s like for parents to have multiple kids—there’s no right or wrong decision to have one child or more. The comment section agreed. People shared what it was like to grow up as an only child and to grow up with siblings. Parents also shared stories of their kids’ sibling relationships and how they changed over time. Keep reading for some thoughtful takes if you’re considering whether to give your child a sibling.
What it’s like to be an only child
Some chimed in with how lonely it was to be an only child, and others reported they liked it.
“I was an only child and I was absolutely lonely. What I would’ve given to have a sibling. It’s even scarier as my parents get older, I am ALONE.”—@stonyponylola
“I grew up an only child and people were always like “weren’t you lonely 😭“ LIKE NO my childhood was so peaceful lol”—@travelwithjax
“only child, about to have my 9th 😂
I hated being an only so much”—@wdcary45
What it’s like to have siblings
Then there were the comments that painted the picture of what it’s like growing up with a sibling. People claimed they were kids or had kids that were either frenemies (friends/enemies), enemies, best friends, or grown siblings who no longer speak to each other. It’s a lot to think about.
Frenemy siblings
“Hahaha nooooo Erin! Mine def do fight but can’t live without each other.”—@coffecardioandcake
“Haha😂 They really do fight a lot, but then they end up being the best of friends🥰🥰”—@donnagene27
“my Irish twins hated each other at first but as they got older it turned into more love than hate lol”—@_shannabear_
“Nah [for] my eldest can’t stand her little sister like 60% of the time 😂”—@foreverweird
Eldest child’s thoughts about siblings
“Our eldest’s supervillain origin story began with the 2nd kid’s birth”—@amandawithadhd
“that was my villain origin story, too. I still call them the “others” and ask my mom why I wasn’t enough. needless to say, I will only be having the one daughter 🤣”—@Kodia33
“I told my parents I remember when my mother was diagnosed with my sister”—@BellJazzi
The best friend type of siblings
“Mine play together ❤️They have their moments but they are perfect”—@mhgl2018
“No way. They’re best friends, attached at the hip. Play together all day. Better yet have two under two.”—@honeyb_11
Grown siblings that don’t talk to each other
“My mom is one out of 10 children. She doesn’t even talk to any of her siblings anymore.”—@lilypad0132
“Omg my mom has 6 siblings. No one talks to each other 🥺.”—Tlawd
Setting realistic sibling expectations
Giving your child a sibling may be part of the decision to expand your family, but setting realistic expectations is important. Parenting siblings requires a lot of mediating—sometimes even refereeing— of their squabbles and fights for attention. Some siblings may be best friends, but there is no guarantee kids will be close when they’re young—or old. Commenters agreed and shared some additional things to think about when it comes to sibling relationships.
“What kills me is when people insist they have to have kids back to back so they’ll be close… Like have you ever met any siblings? 😂 very little [to] do with age and more with their personalities,” @farewellshell pointed out. The enemy phase may also not last forever. @dexter_thedoggo3 said, “nobody appreciates a sibling until [they’re] grown up. I was horrid to my Sister but now she’s [my] best friend ♥️.” @babsinmichigan noted how her kids’ relationships evolved over time. “They don’t stay little forever. I had three boys who got along quite well as children & are now… super close as adults. It makes me so happy to know they’ll have each other when their dad & I are gone one day. ❤️”
Patty Schepel, Editorial Intern
As the editorial intern, Patty works with The Everymom’s team on pitches, creating original articles, updating existing content, photo sourcing, writing shopping product descriptions, inputting freelance articles, and more. When she’s not working, you can find her spending time with her family, training for half marathons—she ran one 16 weeks pregnant—traveling, cooking, reading a rom-com, and keeping her sourdough starter, Rose, alive.