This is one of the most difficult issues that parents nowadays face. As you point out, a concern that is often heard with regard to only children is whether one child necessarily means a lonely child. Many parents feel a stigma associated with their decision to have only one child , fearing they are seen as thinking only about themselves as opposed to about their child’s well-being. There are no other children in the family for the child to associate with, which may lead to the child feeing lonely, especially if both parents are working.