[justhereforthe]

May I ask if your son is an only child? I’ve thought about online homeschooling my son when he’s old enough (he’s still a baby), but I wonder if he would be lonely if he turns out to be our one-and-done. You mentioned your son’s beloved jiu-jitsu; does he have other outlets for meeting friends and socializing?

[clausok]

He has a younger sister. As for other outlets for making friends and socializing, team sports are indispensable. Also great, and surprisingly underutilized -- in my observation -- are playgrounds.

With playgrounds you get the best part of school, recess, without the rest of it.

If parents would look up from their phones for a minute and watch what's going on in playgrounds they'd be amazed.

Recently I saw about 20 kids, across a wide age range, hold a spontaneous, well-organized game of Among Us.

You won't just make friends there; you'll run in Draco Malfoys too; and that's also valuable.

[aidenn0]

Most only-childs wish they had siblings, and many one-of-manys wish they were only childs. My wife was raised as an only child and is stunned by how much our children fight with each other.

[mensetmanusman]

Almost all only children say that they were lonely. There is something special that happens sleeping in the same house as siblings.

[kQq9oHeAz6wLLS]

On the other hand, many of the only children I know (I'm close friends with 4, all from different backgrounds - one a non-US childhood) are all quite creative and independent people. Sometimes being allowed to be bored is excellent.