But if they're knob heads then a sibling is essential, right?

I have gone through a fortune in child related expenses, way over a million dollars Canadian. (It would have been even more if I hadn't lost their winter coat money playing pool). The only way I can rationalise this expenditure is to think that without the drive of having to feed the children I wouldn't have made the effort to bring in the cash in the first place.

depends a lot on many factors - ones personal own upbringing, your own life & career and/or whether you want to raise your children unselfishly with silver spoons in their mouths.

We put both ours through Uni on a 50/50 shared basis & they had to work for it.

today in their 20's & 30's, do we consider them responsible upright citizens relative to the world around them - I'm giving them a grade mark of 8/10.

My mother became a war widow just after my birth so I never had siblings nor met my father for that matter. Over the years I've observed other siblings in various situations and both envied them and been thankful I didn't have any. My dear mother tried and worked so hard to ensure I had everything I wanted/needed and it's now that I realize what a wonderful person she was and how hard was her life.
Being an only child was, for me, a lonely life and I wouldn't recommend that anyone deliberately have only one child. I have many friends of both genders but, for me, the existence of brothers/sisters to whom I can talk with in confidence would round out the happy existence I presently experience.

You have us.

Me too

Funny how things work out , I have a sister who I barely converse with, despite having shared a bedroom with her for the first 16 years of my life.

My brother I do miss though , a lot. We had great fun together but even if I lived back in the UK I'd probably still only get to see him about as much as I do living here.

At least in Canada I get him to myself for a week.

We don't have children and i never really felt that we missed out but now when my friends have grandchildren around i wouldn't mind some of those.

Plus i worry about who will chose my care home and make sure that my chin hair is removed.

The great difference between kids and grandkids is the ability to give the latter back after a short while!

If you want to make a career change, then you can always go work the tills at Walmart. Nearly every woman there has some form of chin hair. Some bordering on beards. That might take away some stress for you in the future

Why what a thoughtful suggestion but iwas more concerned about when i am too doolally even for Walmart.

Is that possible?

Walmart greeter, perhaps, or some form of retail banking customer service?

Oh, i could walk round with a clipboard all day? I could do that. What if i got the chin hairs caught in the bulldog clip tho? That's a worry.

Bulldog clips?

That probably rules me out in any job involving a clipboard.