Are you an only child?

Question

Do you like being one?
What do you think are the advantages?

Answer 1

Yes I am an only child and I don't like or dislike being one. I just am and I don't really know what it is like to be anything else so it just is what it is.

I do however agree with Olivia on some of the downsides like:

1. There is alot of guilt "Why won't you/don't you ______, you're my only child!"
2. They really don't want you to grow up. They are always parenting you even when you are an adult.
3. You don't have a brother or sister to comiserate wtih: especially when your household is in turmoil ie a rough patch between your parents
4 You carry the can for everything that happens in the house ie why did you scratch the car eventhough you didn't, did I, DAD?
5. You are alone alot of the time.
6. You have to take care of your parents when they get sick or old all by yourself.
7. Parents can be more strict to counter the "spoilt child" syndrome.
8. You have no one to divide the chores with.
9. When they die you are all alone in the world.

Advantages:
1. You do hang out with adults alot from an early age which does help your vocabulary and other mental development. But that does lead to a disadvantage when you are in your teens and 20's because all the men seem to be such immature babies. It is only in your 30's that you finally feel that you are in step with people your own age.

I'm sure your own little family dynamics come into it as well. For instance my parents were very conscious of only childern being spoiled so they were very strict. My best friend who was one of 4 didn't have it as tough as me!

I suppose the biggest advantage is I never had the argument with my parents of who they "love best", because they just had me. But I still would have loved to have a sibling, I would have given them a run for their money in the "love best" category! lol :)

Answer 2

i HATE being an only child and i'll tell you why.
1. you're parents will not leave you alone... they want to know EVERYTHING that happens in your life and they don't give you any privacy
2. they make you feel guilty if you don't 'love' them enough eg "oh olivia, why won't you hold my hand in public, you're my only child!"
3. they don't understand that kids grow up. i'm 15 and i still get treated like i'm 12!!
4. a) you don't have a brother or sister to stick by you - especially when you're parents are fighting and you feel like you're all alone
4 b) because u have no brothers or sisters, you get blamed for everything! even if you didn't do it! because you're the only kid in the house, you MUST be the person who left the toothpast lid open and got water in it!!
5. you're all alone - all the time.
6. the only one to take care of your parents when they get old and needy (this happened to my godsister) and you are the only one who takes care of them

sure, we may get spoiled a bit (get two chocolates instead of one after dinner) but its really not that great. for all of you who have siblings, how many of you ring your brother/sister to help you with a problem, or to just come over and mind the kids for an hour while you go to dinner??

Advantage:
1. don't have to share your toys when you are little
2. nope! thats it, thats all i can think of.

Answer 3

Yes, I'm an only child and I absolutely hate it. The only up-side to it is that you don't have to share things when you're young. When you get older your parents still treat you like you're somewhere between 5-8. Children grow up and they need to be treated like adults when they do. I had it slightly easier because my mom, grandmother, and great-grandmother were all the only child. They know how it was growing up, but they also know how it was once you got past the age of 15. I would give almost anything to have had siblings, older and/or younger, when I was growing up. You're alone all the time, you don't have anyone who knows exactly how you feel (and how you grew up) to go to with problems, you don't get the chance to be a blood related aunt/uncle, basically, it just plain sucks. For anyone else who's an only child, my sympathy is with you because I know how horrible it is/can be.

Answer 4

I grew up as an only child. I am an old woman now, lol.

Advantages:
I got to go places and do things I would not have if I had had siblings.
The household money went further, so I never lacked for anything (material).
I learned to entertain myself and keep occupied.
I became independent and free-spirited and never followed the crowd.


Disadvantages:
Triangulated relationships ... parents playing you against each other.
Not have siblings to relate to as an adult.
Having full brunt of elderly parents as an adult.

EDIT:
Olivia, excellent, excellent answer! You got so much of it in a nutshell! I can SO relate to those experiences as a youngster.

Answer 5

No I have one sibbling.
Every thing has its one advantages and disadvantages yar.
If ur one u will be the monarch. But u dont have anyone to share.
Of course u will be taken care very well.

But if u have sibblings, particularly elders they will show so much effection on u.
At the same time, ur parents affection is shared by both.

So it doesnt matter whether we are single or not?

Answer 6

Yes. No I don't like being one especially older.
The only advantages are not having to share things and more privacy.

Answer 7

yes i am.

I don't like that I am an only child now that I am an adult. i would have loved to have a bro/sis especially when parents don't understand

Answer 8

nope i am the 11th of 14 siblings

Answer 9

Yes. You can get all you want and can be like a 'king'.

Answer 10

yes i am only son of my parents...............

there having a lot of pressure on me..............

well this is not advantages for me...........