You’re an adult only child. Right?
Just a guess. If so, then I’m glad you found this site. I started this as a place where you can share the challenges, privileges, and common experiences that only adults without siblings have.
About AdultOnlyChild.com:
If the phrase “adult only child” sounds contradictory to you…if you’re not sure what it means, then you’re probably not one. But here’s another way of putting it: “adults who don’t have any siblings.” This site is all about them.
I put the site up some time in early 2009, and just put a version of this post on the home page. Over the course of about 6 months, more than 1,500 people visited the site. If that many people stop by when there’s nothing on the site, maybe we can get some of you to join a community.
Until some of you join this new community, it just serves as a collection of any material I can find online regarding adult only children.
How to Participate:
- Login (or Register first, if you haven’t already)
- Ask questions in the group forums,
- Create your own groups and forums, or even
- Start your own AdultOnlyChild blog.
WOW this is just what i was looking for. But is there more, i would like a social networking site just for adult only children. Is that what this is?
@Valerie thanks for the comment. Right now adultonlychild.com is a simple site with links to other resources online. If visitors like you show enough interest I’d be happy to add a forum or social network to the site. Meanwhile you may want to check out the similarly named onlychildadult.com’s community.
Well, @Valerie, I just tried to visit the onlychildadult forum I referred you to, and it looks like it’s down. So I’m turning AdultOnlyChild.com into AdultOnlyChild.org – and making it a social network.
Over the past several months, the traffic to this site has steadily increased, even though there’s really nothing here (yet). So that, plus your comment tells me I need to turn this site into something useful.
So, to anyone reading this…as of January 20, 2010 this site is officially a “social network” and community for adult only children. To join, just go to http://adultonlychild.com/register. After that you can post questions in group forums, or create your own group, or even start a blog about your experience as an only child.
Hi,
I think a forum for adult only children is long over due. Thank you for starting one.
Are there any only children that have lost both parents? My mother died in 2001 (my father died years before). It was very difficult going through this event alone, but becoming an “orphan” was extremely traumatic. I would love to hear from people who are in the same boat. I am divorced, and although I have friends and do a great deal of volunteer work there is still a void.
I can totally relate to your feelings of being ‘orphaned’. I just used that word yesterday in attempts to descibe my feelings to a group of cousins, but I don’t think they get the idea. They have a large family and have no concept of what it’s like looking from the outside in.
Anyway…. Sorry to hear about your losses….my parents died when I was 15years old… and I am still fighting that ‘wounded child’. I think it’s all surfacing now since the kids are gone and I’m going through a ‘phase’. TeeHee
Growing up as an only child with no parents can be a challenge for a young adult. It definitely leaves a void in one’s life. I’m looking for ways now to fill that void so that I can re-heal the wounded child that seems to be resurfacing.
Good luck to you.
Hello Cheryl,
Thank you for your kind words. I can only imagine the pain of losing your parents at such a young age.
It is perfectly natural that your wounded child should be surfacing again. Without the distractions (and I do not mean this in a negative way) of children keeping you busy, the brain has more time to reflect on internal issues.
I really wish that there were local support groups where people could spend time together in person. A “family” of people who have experienced this profound loss would be wonderful. As you mentioned, people who have never experienced this type of situation have no clue.
If you feel like it, please keep me posted on how you are handling the “empty nest”/wounded child phase.
Helen
@nosibs, I’m sorry to hear about your loss. I can only imagine.
Hello,
Thank you for your kind words.
Would you care to share your story?
Helen
My story is just one of an only child whose parents are divorced and living in different states, but who remain relatively healthy and capable. I just know the day will come when I have to care for one or both of them, and eventually lose them. I can only imagine what you (Cheryl and Nosibs) have been through. I feel for you both.
Hi,
I will not candy coat the experience. It can be a very lonely time…even with friends to support you. It is a process of one. Try not to spend time thinking about what may be. I find that staying in the present moment helps. Mind you, this is not easy to accomplish. Meditation helps some people.
I truly wish there were support groups where people could actually meet and get together.
Hang in there…you will be o.k.
Helen
@Valerie, Cheryl, Helen:
Reading this thread incourages me. I too have been orphaned. I lost my mother in 1995 and my father in 2002. The loss of my mother was bad enough, losing my dad was well the end of part of me. I still deal and grieve. I have a step mother but this is never the same as your real parent. She does her best. Some times I feel liked Cinderella with out a fella.
I have been married twice. I have two children from my second marriage. Both are grown and my eldest is in Afgahnastan. My youngest Just turned nineteen and is living on her own, going to college and working. Oh my this is just the beginning. Now on top of feeling orphaned I now feel empty nested. Some times this just overwhelms me… I sit and cry.. Collect myself and get up and try to go on. I have been told that all this will make me closer to my children.. My eldest is married to an only child… Her parents are still both alive… I have encouraged him to be patient… I don’t speak much with my daughter in law … she still has her best friends and now my son too… I lost both my parents to cancerin different forms.. I find the reading of the link to cancer.org an avenue to pursue as well.. as I might have breast cancer and have been denying it for years now… a lump then it dissapears, a lymph node swollen then it goes down. Ihad mamograms done. One confirmed the other denied. I chose the later and have kept going… I haven’t had another mamo gram done yet… Nor have I really spoke with anyone about it…
Thank you some much for this social network that you have built….. I feel better and extend my greatest sympathies and empathies to all of you…. please feel free to write me
Marie