When I tell people that I am an only child, I get mixed reactions. “You’re lucky!” “Weren’t you lonely?” “I’m sorry you didn’t have any siblings.” “Bet that was interesting.” Sometimes I think it’s just one reaction – pity – sprinkled with different anecdotes. Don’t feel bad for me though. As much as I wanted a sibling growing up, being an only child was and is a great thing.
Now as an adult and parent, many of my fellow friends who are also parents have only one child with no plans for more. One and done, as they say. No judgment from me. How many kids a person decides to have is their business. What I have noticed and will comment on, is that my friends with only one child don’t share the only child upbringing experience.
If you’re an only child with an only child, hopefully you already know that you are awesome and might have an upper hand in parenting (if that is such a thing 😆). If not, let me enlighten you. The following are 3 reasons why being an only child is awesome!
You Can Entertain Yourself
When I take my children to a new place, my 3 year old always asks if there will be other kids there. He adores playing with other children including his 9 month old sister. I didn’t grow up with that luxury. My mom always brought simple toys, blocks or a book to engage me while we were out running errands. Believe it or not, I was content. I didn’t really care that there weren’t other kids when I was the only kid around. I was just happy to play alone and I had a great imagination which didn’t hurt either.
You are Able to Communicate Well
This might be Jasmine specific but I’ll share it anyway. I was a chatty child and loved to talk – I still do. If there weren’t children around to talk to when I was a kid, adults were a fine substitute. While I enjoyed talking to grown-ups, there was a fine line between talking to them but still needing to stay out of grown-ups business. On the plus side, you can learn a lot when you shut your mouth and listen.
Don’t Rely on Others in Social Situations
Recently, I was invited to a playdate with moms I didn’t know. I made friends pretty easily. My friend that invited me said someone made a comment on how well I got along with everyone. I jokingly said, “I’m an only child. I know how to handle myself in these situations.”. After thinking about it though, it’s true. Growing up without siblings allowed me to make friends on my own without having to cling to my nonexistent siblings for support.
I used to think not having siblings was such a hardship as a kid. Now that I’m an adult, I’ve found it’s a major blessing. There are certain aspects of my personality that wouldn’t be there if I had siblings. If you are an only child, you know we are an awesome breed. If you are raising an only child, there are perks to that too. Hopefully me shedding a light on my situation will get you extra excited for your child’s only child future.
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James 1:2-3 (NKJV) My Brethren count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.