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Advantages and Disadvantages of Only Children

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Advantages and Disadvantages of Only Children
Topic:
Are there more advantages or disadvantages when having an only child?

Contents
Introduction Page 3

Scope Page 4

Methodology Page 6

Why do parents choose to have an only child? Page 6

How does being an only child advantage/disadvantage the family? Page 8

How does being an only child advantage/disadvantage the child? Page 10

Conclusion Page 12

Bibliography Page 13

Appendicies
Appendix One: Survey Questions Page 14

Appendix Two: Interview conducted with E Barbaro Page 15

Appendix Three: Interview conducted with V Haynes Page 16

Appendix Three: Interview conducted with J Stefano Page 17

Introduction
Research from the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 2006 suggests the fastest growing nuclear family unit has become the single-child household (Emma Sykes, 2011). According to figures released by the Office for National Statistics, the UK has about 7.7million families with dependent children, of which 3.7 million have just one child, compared to three million with two and 1.1 million with three children or more (Simon Edge, 2013). Additionally, in the United States, the percentage of women who have one child has more than doubled in the past 20 years up from 10% to 13% (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2011). The issue of single-child households is a contemporary issue relevant to both children and parents in today’s modern society as the number of single-child households are rapidly growing throughout the 21st century.

Scope
There are increasing rates in single-child households. Single child households are rapidly growing in popularity making them a contemporary issue of the 21st century. There are many factors which influence parents to raise a single child. Additionally, there are many factors which effect the child due to them being raised without the influence of siblings. These aspects are going to be



Bibliography: Primary Surveys with mothers and employees of a daycare center, 2013, ‘Are there more advantages or disadvantages when having an only child?’, August 22 E Barbaro, Interview, 2013 V Haynes, Interview, 2013 J Stefano, Interview, 2013 Secondary Bellybelly.com.au. 1986. One Child Families: Advantages and Disadvantages of Having an Only Child. [online] Available at: http://www.bellybelly.com.au/child/one-child-families-advantages-disadvantages-of-having-one-child [Accessed: 27th Aug 2013]. Caplan, B. 2011. Selfish Reasons To Have More Kids. The Perseus Books Group, p. Paperback, 288 pages. Emma Sykes. Abc.net.au. 2011. Triple P Podcast: Single Children - ABC Brisbane - Australian Broadcasting Corporation. [online] Available at: http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2011/07/19/3272558.htm [Accessed: 28th Aug 2013]. Essential Baby. 2000. Rise of single-child family is sign of the times. [online] Available at: http://www.essentialbaby.com.au/life-style/family-home/rise-of-singlechild-family-is-sign-of-the-times-20090511-azyt.html [Accessed: 27th Aug 2013]. Holly Doorman. Yahoo! Contributor Network. 2010. The Top Five Advantages of Having One Child. [online] Available at: http://voices.yahoo.com/the-top-five-advantages-having-one-child-7311000.html?cat=25 [Accessed: 29th Aug 2013]. Joys of Parenting. Boicoteacicarelli.com. 2013. Joys of Parenting. [online] Available at: http://www.boicoteacicarelli.com/Only_Child_Versus_Multip [Accessed: 27th Aug 2013]. Lots of Kids. Boicoteacicarelli.com. 2013. Joys of Parenting. [online] Available at: http://www.boicoteacicarelli.com/Only_Child_Versus_Multip [Accessed: 28th Aug 2013]. Paul Meril. http://parenting.kidspot.com.au/how-many-children-should-you-have/ -. 2013. How Many Children Should You Have?. [online] Available at: http://parenting.kidspot.com.au/how-many-children-should-you-have/ - [Accessed: 29th Aug 2013]. Sandler. words from cana. 2013. Who Needs Siblings? The Feminist Crusade for Only Children. [online] Available at: http://wordsfromcana.com/2013/06/17/who-needs-siblings-the-feminist-crusade-for-only-children/ [Accessed: 27th Aug 2013]. Sandler, L. 2013. One and Only: The Freedom of Having an Only Child, and the Joy of Being One. Simon & Schuster, Hardcover, 224 pages. Stephen J Betchen. Psychologytoday.com. 2011. Only Children Aren 't Weird...Are We?. [online] Available at: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/magnetic-partners/201109/only-children-arent-weirdare-we [Accessed: 29th Aug 2013].

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