HAVING ONE AND ONLY, HAPPY OR LONELY : THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF PARENTS WITH ONE CHILD

Background: An idea formerly dismissed by others due to the social construct of yesterdays parents expecting their children to support them their entire lives; having an only child is quickly becoming the norm within todays generation of parents in order to achieve a much more stable experience and balanced family life. Method: This qualitative paper used a phenomenological research design to understand the lived experiences and perceptions of the parents with one child, relative to the central question: What are the struggles and benefits of having an only child. The data were gathered through a twenty-five semi-structured interview, which was then analyzed by using an inductive approach in theme development. Findings: Findings have shown that the experience of parents in raising a child is a journey of unknown, which they prepare themselves in so that they could raise them properly. They adapt to their childs needs in terms of their character and values by implementing a punishment system. Conclusion: Parents play a major role in the childs growth. They mold their child to become a responsible citizen. Recommendation: To comply with the literature gap, this study advises future researchers to take more cognizance on the struggles of the parents. This includes pressure from environmental factors, underlying issues, and their strategies to cope.