Pros And Cons Of Being An Only Child

Growing up as an only child

At present,  we find ourselves in the midst of a very different, social panorama when it comes to families than we did in the past. Birth rates are steadily rising and the fertility rate (number of children per mother) is around 1.8.

This reveals a growing trend in our society, towards a phenomenon that, in the past, was considered to belong to the rarities. Families with just one child are becoming quite common. There are many beliefs associated with children (and adults) growing up without siblings. But, is there any truth behind these stereotypes?

Benefits of growing up as an only child

Only children get, as a rule, quite a lot of attention from their parents. Their mothers and fathers perform their duties with exclusive dedication. They do not have to share their time or affection. Therefore,  their one child will feel supported and cared for, and, as a rule, these children develop a healthy self-esteem. 

Parents with just one child usually have more financial resources available. This allows their children to enjoy a greater variety of experiences in different areas of life.

These children grow up in a world of adults who are in constant contact with them. Adults are their role models, and their primary source of interaction.

The aforementioned circumstances lead to  greater development of creativity, imagination and mental flexibility. For the same reason, only children tend to have a faster intellectual development – both linguistically and cognitively.

Not having siblings means they have a lot of time alone. Adults, as a rule, can not spend all their time playing. Therefore, these children know how to adapt to being alone, dedicate time to hobbies,  get to know themselves and are more independent. These children tend to be calmer, more introverted and more mature.

Only children do not have siblings to blame, or share the blame with. From an early age, they learn to accept responsibility. This makes them more efficient, both in life and at work.

Disadvantages of growing up as an only child

The negative part of being the object of parental dedication is that attention can be excessive. If this happens, children can become spoiled and self-centered.

Furthermore, this excessive attention can lead to overprotection,  which can cause children to develop a shy, scared and overly cautious personality.

Not having someone in your family environment to compete with, play with and share equally with is a challenge when it comes to developing certain skills.

As a result, children growing up without siblings will  often find it more difficult to express their needs to others. Confrontation can be a big problem for them as they do not know how to behave.

They may also have a harder time being generous, both with material goods as well as their emotions. They tend to think that people should take care of themselves. This, along with their individuality, can make them seem self-centered.

Many times, these children are treated as adults, due to the advanced maturity they exhibit. This can  limit their spontaneity, and cause them to become overly rigid 

Only children can sometimes feel lonely  because they do not have the participation that siblings offer. These children can be withdrawn and reserved.

What to do to avoid the disadvantages

• It is vital that parents set boundaries, lovingly. Only children must learn to respect other people’s time, and learn to be able to take “no” for an answer.
• Instead of overprotecting only children,  parents should offer their children the opportunity to learn to manage on their own. 
• To prevent children from becoming self-centered, parents need to teach their children how to share and take turns. Only children need to understand that, unlike what happens at home, the attention and praise from adults will not always be directed at them. Their parents need to give them  opportunities to socialize with other children. In this regard, cousins ​​and cousins ​​are extremely important.
• Although only children may seem mature, we must never forget that they are still children and  it is important to give them space to be spontaneous. 
• To alleviate the subjective feeling of loneliness,  it is important that parents always offer support and understanding.