Youth Incorporated Magazine

An infant knows nothing about what it means to grow up as the only child in the family with no siblings around to steer through the highs and lows of life, over the years as they grow in age and begin to develop consciousness, the child begins to be able to differentiate between growing alone in life versus growing with others around. Although everyone gradually and almost naturally tends to automatically adapt to one’s given lifestyle and living circumstances, however, there are certain good and bads of growing up as a single child in a family.

Some aspects which could be considered as an upper-hand privilege that a single child receives could be:

1. Undivided attention of both parents: As the only child, the baby receives the utmost and unparalleled attention and love from both parents.

2. Needs and demands served as priority: Whatever the child demands or wishes to have, is mostly fulfilled by the parents out of a sense of love and affection.

3. Independence and self-sufficiency: As a positive moral and psychological aspect, growing up all alone by oneself, the child adhered to the positive traits of self-dependence and courage right from a very tender age which aids in boosting their self-confidence in the later years of life, hence fostering their emotional and physical well-being.

On the flip side, the above highlighted points could also turn out to be radical bars which could severely impact the emotional and psychological well-being of a child growing up alone in life without other siblings.

Some considerable loopholes that could hamper the life and growing up of an alone child could be:

1. Lack of coordination and adjustment capability: Not growing up in the same environment as other kids, a kid could grow up to be an individual lacking in adaptability and adjustment capabilities. 

2. Not being able to share feelings and emotions: More often than not, either one or both of the parents are engaged in working to earn a living and in such cases, it is helpful if there are two or more children in the family as they could be able to share their problems while growing up in life in case the parents are not able to devote sufficient time owing to their busy schedules.

3. Not being able to experience sibling’s love and bond: To be able to experience the precious bond of sisterhood/ brotherhood is indeed one of the blessings in life which a single child inevitably misses out on while growing up in life. The bittersweet fights and mischiefs become the most cherished memories later on in life

4. Lack of emotional support and cooperation: As we grow up in life and become adults, often we are in situations when we cannot seem to share everything with our parents as we did when we were young. Certain things are quite sensitive and can be shared only with siblings and their emotional support and cooperation seem to shrug off a gigantic rock of worries from our heart and mind. Nevertheless, an only child does not receive the emotional support system of his/her siblings which forces them to keep their emotions piled up in themselves without a safe place to let it all out.

In a nutshell, just as every aspect of life comes affixed with a set of pros and cons, growing up as a single child too has its fair share of privileges and drawbacks.