The Only Child

There were certainly bonuses to being born when I was born.  I was the centre of attention with my mum, dad, siblings, their spouses and my mum and dad’s friends.  Most of mum and dad’s friends were not yet grandparents so I was like this surrogate granddaughter for them all.  For all the special occasions I got well looked after.  My siblings both consider me to be a little spoiled compared to them I am sure.  Mum and dad were never short of babysitters.  My mum and dad’s friends were like uncles and aunties to me.  In fact, that’s exactly what I used to call them – uncle Eldon, aunty Kaye etc etc.  It wasn’t that this was confusing to me or anything.  I knew who my real uncles and aunties were, this was just the way I was taught to show respect for my elders, those who were like family to me.  I was closer in age to my second cousins than I was my first cousins.  I became an aunty myself when I was 4 ½ year of age. 

I gained an imaginary friend when I was quite young.  His name was Riethoff (Riethoff was my mother’s maiden name).  Surely this is common in many children.  I know my daughter Nyah had an imaginary friend for a little while.  Jazzamort (the imaginary friend) disappeared when Levi was about 6 months of age.  I wonder where Reithoff and Jazzamort went to.  Maybe they are playing together somewhere in the land of imaginary friends. 

When my parents built a home in Legana in a growing area, I had no need for an imaginary friend.  There were plenty of children to keep me company.  These children became like my brothers and sisters.  I was always entertaining the children in the neighbourhood.  Our home was built on an acre of land.  There was plenty of space for hide and seek, chases and so forth.  I had a trampoline and later dad built a swimming pool.  The freezer was always stocked full of icy poles which I often used to bribe some of the local kids to perform one of the many ‘shows’ I liked to put on for the neighbourhood parents.  There were always ‘shows’ or picnics up long tracks in the middle of the bush.  The mums around the place would have to trek through the bush to were the neighbourhood kids would have set up some lame little tea party, instigated by ‘yours truly’. 

I think the performer in me was brought on by my father’s excessive filming.  He wanted to get me doing all these cute things for my sister who was living in New Zealand.  I’d have to stand in a certain place and say certain things at exactly the right time.  Later dad and I would sing together and this would be recorded on both video and cassette tape.  I attribute my love of music and song to my father who enjoys both equally.  So kids, if you think my excessive photography drives you nuts, blame it on your Opa, I learned it all from him.

For the most part, I really didn’t notice not having siblings in the home with me.  I can’t say this is true of Easter and Christmases though.  I loved this time of year but I missed out on the collaborative hype that happens amongst siblings. 

When I hear of the cute little things that Jim and his siblings used to do on Christmas Eve (like the infamous ‘bum kick’), I wish I had shared those sorts of experiences with my siblings.  I’ve heard stories about my brother taking me on the blockie route in his Torana.  I was very small.  I don’t remember it, but I’m confident that my peers weren’t doing the same at my age.  I think they probably had to wait a good few years before they could say they turned the blockie route in Launceston.  And I suppose there aren’t too many that can say they have showered with their brother-in-law and their sister was ok with it.  Of course I am happy to say these chance encounters did come to an end once I reached a certain age.

That’s not the only thing that changed once I reached a certain age.