You're right to be sad. They go in the door of the Prep room and next minute they're expecting babies of their own. Seriously, that's the way it goes. Every age of your children is a wondrous delight but the milestones flash past so quickly!

Ignorance is an epidemic. Thank goodness for the Mia's who continue to write articles that make sense. I'll be sharing it with my English students.

I went snorkelling in July on the Great Barrier Reef. They provided prescription lenses ( I think this is common practice). They were amazing! I would check with the cruise line to see if they have them.

As a fellow 'only', many of your comments resonate with me Aleisha. I never felt lonely as a kid but like you I was fascinated with other people's big families and chose my boyfriends accordingly. I had an amazing relationship with my parents and never felt like I was missing out on anything. I was certainly never spoilt & I don't think I was a brat. I was (and still am) very happy with my own company.
However, when both my parents died while I was in my 20s I suddenly yearned for a sibling to share my grief and my history. I felt like I had become the sole guardian of family memories and that was hard.
Despite facing major issues conceiving again after my first daughter was born, I was desperate to provide her with a sibling and was lucky enough to do so when she was 7. By the time the 2nd child was 10 her sister had moved out so she got some time as the only child at home. In a strange twist I then fell unexpectedly pregnant again at 45, 12 yrs after my second child! So now I have three children who have all spent time as 'onlies' but also have siblings for support. It was unintentional but I feel like they got the best of both worlds.