The Troubles of Being a Single Child

Yesterday night, my mother and I drank too much red wine. When sober, my mum is already a rather talkative person. But when she’s drunk, she talks like Beni Thurnheer, whom we Swiss people call the blabbermouth of our nation.

So my mum started talking: She rambled about how wonderful a woman I had become, about how she worked more and more to pay for my increasing number of dance classes and how she enjoys every minute with me.

It was beautiful, but then we had this weird topic shift and suddenly we found ourselves talking about her death.

What would happen to her stuff, who would handle her affairs? And who would decide whether to keep life-sustaining machines on if she fell into a coma after a severe injury?

Full Responsibility

The answer is me. I am the one and only person who will be responsible for my mother when she grows old.

I’ve got no brother to discuss whether we should place her in a retirement home. There’s no sister who might help to care for her if she’s going to need assistance over a longer period of time. There’s simply no one there, it will all be my responsibility and my decisions.

It's crazy to think about that, of course. My mum is only 56. She’s fit, healthy and independent — I sure hope that she can enjoy her life in such a good state for many more years.

Yet I know that the time will come when she will be dependent on me — and only me. That will be a huge responsibility for a single young woman. I can only hope that this time won’t come too soon.

Undivided Attention

But the coin always has another side: Growing up, I had the undivided attention of my mother. I’m not saying I was spoiled, my mum didn’t just get me anything I ever wanted.

However, when it came to questions like where to go on holiday or what to have for dinner, there had always been only one opinion to fight. Other families have trouble making everyone happy with such decisions because more people means more potentially different opinions. I grew up with no one but my mum to fight over weekend plans with. And that’s a great thing.