When I was younger, I felt like the luckiest girl in the world for not having siblings. As I got older however, I noticed that I would catch myself starting to get jealous of my friends who all had siblings. While I’m grateful for what I have and wouldn’t have it any other way, being an only child does have it’s ups and downs.
And here’s why.
1. You feel lonely.
A lot. It can be a good and a bad thing. I like to be by myself but I don’t like to feel alone. While it might seem nice because you get peace and quiet, sometimes it can get too quiet to the point where the loneliness really hits you.
2. You’re more sensitive.
I’m not afraid to admit that I’m a pretty sensitive person, which I can give some credit to the fact that I was brought up an only child. Had I been brought up with siblings, I feel like I would have thicker skin. But alas.
3. You don’t necessarily play nice with others easily.
I’ve definitely noticed this since I was young. I struggled to play well with others since I just wasn’t used to being around with other people as much. While I don’t deliberately go out of my way to be mean to people, I don’t try to be the most friendly person either. It just didn’t come naturally.
4. You grew up doing a LOT of extracurricular activities.
I remember those days. I was busy during the day because of school and right when it ended, my mom was picking me up and rushing to take me to whether it be ballet, piano, or art lessons. Since I was an only child, my mom could invest more into my activities, which was great but at the same time, took even more of my time where I couldn’t even hang out with my friends after school.
5. You don’t understand the sibling relationship others have.
I’ve had friends describe to me that one minute they’re beating the life out of their siblings and the next, they’re going out to watch a movie with them. I just don’t get it.
6. You have to explain to people why and how you’re not spoiled. It’s inevitable.
I cannot emphasize this enough. I hate it when people automatically assume “You’re an only child, so you must be spoiled AF.” While I’ll admit that I’m a bit more spoiled than those who have siblings, I’m not a stereotypical rich spoiled brat, so back off. I still work and pay for my own things, thank you very much.
7. You know the reason you’re an only child.
If you’re an only child, I’m sure at one point while growing up you’ve asked your parents the question: why. Why am I an only child? Whether it be the fact that you were an accident and they weren’t planning to have children in the first place or it was by choice, there’s a reason why you’re an only child.
8. You love being by yourself.
Not gonna lie, I actually love being by myself. Yes it can be lonely sometimes but majority of the time, I love being by myself with no one bothering me. I’ve adapted to being by myself growing up so even when I’m out, I feel like I can’t be around people for too long before losing my mind, which is why I’m always dying to get home where I can be in a quiet house with no one to bother me.
9. You had imaginary friends.
When I was younger, while I loved being an only child, sometimes it wasn’t convenient because I didn’t have anyone to play with me (especially when I needed people for my tea party!!). So of course, I had imaginary friends to keep me company.
10. You have all the attention on you.
This one has its pros and cons. Yes, I have all the attention on me so I won’t ever feel like I am being forgotten by my parents. But at the same time, it can be too much.
11. You’re competitive.
Many people seem to think that because I don’t have siblings, I’m not competitive since I never had to fight someone for something. But that’s exactly why I’m competitive. When you’re an only child, you’re so used to being number 1. So once you’re out and you see all these people around you, it just feels natural when the competitive side of you comes out, because all of a sudden, you’re not number 1 anymore.
12. You’re socially awkward.
I can’t express how true this one is. I’ve noticed that many of the people I met who have siblings are very outgoing as opposed to myself. Being by yourself most of the time can really affect you on a social level, which can be a pain sometimes.
13. Your parents can be a bit more protective.
YES. I can’t even explain how protective my mom was when I was a kid. I mean she still is but she’s toned it down a bit now that I’m older. Seriously, I wasn’t even allowed to go to sleepovers as a kid. I think I’ve only attended 2 or 3 during my whole childhood. And the amount of phone calls I get, don’t even get me started.
14. You most likely want more than one kid when you start your own family.
Every time I see families with children running around, I always think to myself “I am definitely having more than one kid if I ever start a family.”
15. You feel a bit stressed knowing that it’s all on you when it comes to taking care of your parents when they get older.
This is something really overwhelming and scares the crap out of me when I think about it. We’re all getting older, and guess what? So are our parents. We’re the ones who will be taking care of them when they need it, and knowing that I’m the only one they can rely on is something that I think about every day. I don’t have siblings to help me, so it will definitely be a bit harder for me than those who have siblings. But I still wouldn’t have it any other way.
What are some other signs you grew up as an only child? Share in the comment below!
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