When Planning Your Family, Consider the Pros and Cons of Being an Only Child

When family planning, some people think it is best to have just one child, while others decide to have more, so their current child won't be alone. For those who had siblings as children, it may be hard to imagine what it is like to be an "only". As a grown-up only child, here is my perspective on what it is like, firsthand.

Many kids think it is an enviable position to be an only child. Well, yes, and no. First, only children grow up with just adults to talk to at home most of the time, unless other children come to visit. Since the only child has no siblings to interact with, he or she relies on school friends to help them learn socialization skills, such as learning to share, conflict and forgiveness. Not being around other children as much as their peers with siblings, only kids may be more independent and introspective. I grew up an introvert, but learned in time to be more outgoing through school friends. Still, socializing didn't come naturally to me, I had to learn it by trial and error. Taking public speaking classes was torture, but they brought me out of my shell, big-time. Inside, I am and always will be, an introvert. My demeanor is outgoing, but at some level, I'm still that solitude-loving, independent little kid deep down. The world of an only child can be a bit awkward, since there is less "practise" with interaction skills when there are no siblings at home to fight/love/play with.