What Are The Problems Of The Only Child?

The stereotype of the only child is harsh - spoilt, over-protected, egocentric and lacking in independence and social skills. Is there any truth in this?
Well, research suggests that the biggest single problem faced by only children is their sense that people perceive them in this stereotypical way! They often feel out of place in a society that assumes it's normal to have siblings; though this perception is changing as families get smaller.
Apart from this sense of being "different" there is not much evidence that only children suffer unduly from the expected problems such as over-dependence, being unable to share etc. Certainly, these thing can arise in small families, but most children soon outgrow them, especially if their parents encourage them to be sociable and self-reliant. In fact, statistically only children are slightly more likely to succeed academically and in the workplace.
However, there is one problem often reported by only children, especially later in life: it can be a very lonely state. Many people deeply regret not having had siblings as they grow older.
There is a website for only children which includes a list of books on the subject:
www.onlychild.org.uk

My husband is an only child and has no regrets.I think he developed a very good imagination and did a lot of reading and has a great relationship with his parents.There was no need to spoil him,he wasn't competing with a sibling.They spent a lot of time with him,and he is the most diplomatic and fair,loving husband-he has absolutely no issues that would relate to being an only child.  

My nephew is also an only child and also has developed a fantastic imagination and in being an only child and with limited resources they are able to send him to many more educational programs;sports etc. and he actually says he enjoys having friends but doesn't regret being an only child;and I don't see any developmental problems yet. I think it is how you decide to raise them.

Being an only child can really be a big problem. Like me, I'm an only child. I

The most eminent problem of the only child is loneliness. Having no siblings to chat with when they have problems, especially family problems which they could hardly talk to others, would make them feel depressed and helpless. When they grow up, they would take all the burden and pressure to look after their parents. And the worst thing is when their parents are ill, they have no one to turn to,or to share their feelings with, which would be much easier to overcome if they have siblings.

The only child demonstrates a marked increase in ADD

A child who has problems with memory and attention and whose intellectual abilities las behind his or her chronological age would be described as having?

Hi, I'm 16 and I am an only child.  The problem is caused by parents.  They develop the behavior that an only child has.  My parents even know are constantly worrying about what I do, and everything they do is based on me.  They themselves do not know what to do with themselves when I am not around and it makes it harder for me to be a normal 16  year old.

The kid could be lonely or have a problem with his or her parents

Well i'm 20yrs, and i'm a good son. I want to please and obey my parents very desire. But i would ove to make some mistakes. I can't ask for better parents. Just that sometimes they are kinda too controlling and basically don't want me to be exposed to any risk whatsoever... Don't want me to get hurt in anyway. But i just want to learn for myself live to some extent without limits. Be able in the future maybe to say to my 20yr old "i can tell you from experience son". My gf love each other very much, but she was married before. For me it was a mistake. But for them they don't accept cause of that mistake she made. Now they don't want me with her and they don't want me to see her anymore. And if i leave them. It would hurt like hell and i loose out on my inheritance. But inheritance part doesn't bother me much. And if i leave my gf it hurts me and her. So i don;t really know what to do... So it's like having to choose between my 2 heart beats. And that like killing me slowly. Any advise?

They don't socialise well and don't handle conflict effortlessly.

As an only child there are quite a few less than desirable effects it can cause.  Parents may expect to much of you and every mistake that you make is amplified.  There is no one else who has a chance of survive in life its just you and you have to be the best.  Anxiety issues and depression issues for due to unreal amounts of stress.  Parents use you to take their emotions out on so they feel better about themselves.  Drinking and drugs become your closest friend.  Isolationism is the only way for u to feel safe.  You can feel like you can''t express your emotions to anyone or show them at all because that makes you weak.   Hostility can be very common especially in situations that involve someone insulting your friends.  Since you do feel alone you stop caring what happens to you.  Paranoia takes over since there seems to be no one there to protect you.  But the worst thing is since no one is there to talk to you start talking to yourself, and loose control of your sense of reality.

The best thing in life is having a brother or sister, the worst is having no one at all. Brothers and sisters are treasures, gift from God, name it and it's true.

Being the only child is just an empty space, no friends can ever substitute a brother or a sister. There's no way someone can love another as a brother or sister the way real siblings will love one another. Period.

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I can't believe all the BS I'm reading on this page!

I am an only child. My parents, like every parent out there (the good ones a least) did the best they could.

I am rarely ever lonely. I was given a fabulous gift of being able to make friends easily. What's that myth about being socially awkward? BS! My parents are military and we moved every three years. I'm sure some of you pseudo-psychologists would just gasp at the horrors of making an only child move every three years. "The horrors!" But guess what, it's taught me a very amazing lesson. Flexibility. Now I have friends who live all over the world. Where I live currently, I have a tight and fabulous group of friends that I consider family. When my home was broken into two years ago, these friends all came out in support offering to help my husband and I clean up our home to offering us a safe place to live until we could move to giving us money *lol*. Yet, I have several friends who can't even speak to their brothers or sisters due to stupid sibling rivalries from childhood that never got resolved.

Granted - I miss my mom and dad. We get to see each other once or twice a year. But I have learned that if you're heart is open, "family" is waiting for you wherever you go.

Yes, there was stress growing up - I'm sure it was the same for any first child. Parents, good ones anyway, worry about their ability as parents. The first and only child is often the guinea pig for their parenting skills (what works and what doesn't). But again, I'd not change one dang thing my parents did. I love them. My dad is my hero. My mom is my heroine. They taught me character. They taught me laughter. They taught me how to be an individual and independence.

I work with college aged students now. I see what "over-parenting" looks like. And it has absolutely nothing to do with whether or not the child is an only or has siblings.

You want to group and generalized. Go generalize yourself.

Im going through a difficult time right now as an only child,im grown up but my mother doesnt want to let go of me.She's constantly making me feel guilty for things that she say. It hurts so much & im just worrying as to would she have been the same if i wasnt her only child.people are starting to make fun of the way she treats me,i feel like im  at one place i cant move. The guilt moves with me every step of the way its inside of me.dont get me wrong i love her but sometimes i wonder isnt it because i feel sorry for her, i just dont know what to do outsiders are expecting a lot from me.

This is a stupid perception of the only child. They are spoiled and don't know how to relate to others. I have a husband that was an only child, and he thinks everything should always go his way.