If you're an only child, do you hate it or love it?

[BeeNee]

I love being an only child

I hate being an only child

[BrokenEmpathy]

People with siblings assume you'll get positive attention and won't miss the competence, but in the facts, that's not only not true (most of attention is rather negative and impairing) people not only mock and expect more of you (now not only you're still competing and being compared, but with people not even in your own family).

Also, as you get older you realize your chances of ending up truly alone are way higher, any extended family or relatives you used to see as a kid either pass away from age or drift away after not caring another shit for you

[BeeNee]

I've always thought of being the only child as being tough because the pressure is sort of all on you. You're the one who has to get married, have kids, be successful because a parents hopes and dreams are riding on what you do---well at least that's how it is for my friends who are only children. All of their parents were super strict on them because that whole "we can't mess this one up" thing.

[BrokenEmpathy]

That can be a case, yet it's going to depend on which family values there are. It won't be the same if you're the only child from a conservative family as from, say, a liberal single parent.

I reached personally a point where I feel ashamed of my own genes and decided not to reproduce a cycle of abuse, dysfunctionality and violence I grew up living and observing from a distance, let alone I'm not particularly hopeful the future will really offer better circumstances to any eventual offspring.

[BeeNee]

That's why I mentioned this is in relation to the people I know, because every family is different whether one has siblings or not. You're going to decide to have kids or not on your own clearly, but my advice is to not let the sins of your family corrupt how you feel about having your own kids because it would be you raising them, not them. A lot of people come from crap pasts, but they choose to be and live differently because they know the alternative and what that has done to them. Just my two cents...

[BrokenEmpathy]

Thanks but no need for advice here. This is something I've thought and analyzed to which extent people have the power to choose and not.

[BrokenEmpathy]

In fact, one common factor I noticed is how they all believed to have chosen differently and being "good" themselves, yet completely blind and unable to realize what they did was wrong.

[Jjpayne]

It is nice getting all the attention. and technically my mother has two sons so a half brother. but I'm only child with my dad. and all the responsibility for his care goes on to me , he is currently in a tough place and all of his help that he needs is kind of going on my shoulders to take care of. It was nice when I was a kid and got all the presents and attention but now... it is a bit of a struggle

[BeeNee]

Sorry to hear that. Yeah, that's the other thing I think about in relation to only children---you've got a lot on your shoulders when you're dealing with a parents health because unless you have a big supportive family, it can be all on you for their care later in life.

[Jjpayne]

Thank you :) yups that can be a thing for better or worse

[Pinay_ako]

Love it because I don't have to deal with sibling feud/rivalry/splitting up assets/family drama. Love my parents and I are super close.
Hate it because I feel alone not having any siblings.

[fauchelevent]

I don't mind it. I love it because it meant I got my parents' full attention as a child but I hate it because I didn't have anyone to play with as a kid, everything I did was alone.

[Uru_DS]

My first response is always I love it but the more I think about it, I mean how can I know what I would feel like to have a sibling who shares the same parents?
I've had cousins live with me for maximum 5 months but it would be so much more different to grow up with another person.
It's too difficult and according to me -
If you ask a single child he'd say he hates it and
If you ask the others they'd say they hate it
Cause when did humans really start being satisfied with what they have?

[nonratracereality]

Because in life there is one when there is two now comes division whether we like it or not it's hard to give the same to others as you give to one so that's when the issues start on all ends. Grasp all you can because you're not by yourself you're with yourself big difference.

[Graphics12]

Neither, to be honest I stopped thinking about it a long time ago. My mom had 2 miscarriages before me so she was happy just to have a child. I had a decent childhood and my parents always were able t give me the right amount of attention. But I would get kind of lonely sometimes being home with nobody else but the dogs. Life is all about trade offs.

[up_64]

I can't really compare to anything. I mean when I was little and afraid of the dark sleepovers were the best because having a human being in proximity was enough to set me at rest.

I've also always been at the center of my mother's attention when she has a bad mood. On the other hand I suppose no siblings is better than bullies for siblings

[Anonymous]

I neither hate or love it now. My dad was abusive and distant. My mom was always a victim in the marriage. I didn't like either one of them and got away as soon as I could. I wouldn't talk to my dad for months on end and stayed away from home because I couldn't stand the bullshit between them. It made me strong and independent. I realized that I had to create my own family. My friends became my family. I realized that blood is NOT thicker than water.

[Phanta]

I hated it for many years, but now I hardly ever think about it. There would be no pint, since the situation is permanently fixed.

[tenukitanuki]

I hate it but I also don't see how my life could have even supported an older or younger sibling. My circumstances were too odd.

[Just_a_human]

I would have preferred at least one sibling. Maybe my social skills wouldn't be garbage if I had one.

[Miss_Savanna_Dry]

I feel like I'm a bit in between hate and loving it. Sometimes it's nice but sometimes I hate it and wish I had a sibling to go to for advice.

[19magic]

I was an only child till 12 and love now having two more siblings

[cunnilinguist]

Hard to say when the only sibling you would've had has been aborted.

[Ankitasingh466]

I have 2 siblings. One elder brother N one younger sister. Im stuck in the middle and I hate this.

[IoffurAdVice]

It's not that I hate it but 2 heads are usually better than 1.

[SexyAshh]

Nope, and so happy im not. So close with my sisters!.

[JosyJosy]

I don't know what it was like otherwise so I guess I learned to love it

[Liam_Hayden]

I love it. I grew up with cousins and friends, so companionship was never an issue, and I am sole heir.

[Kinogo]

Being only child can get lonely sometimes but u don't really have to deal with sibling rivalry...

[x_sophiana_x]

I hate being an only child. If I break something I can’t blame it on anyone, I don’t have anyone to have fun with besides my friends, it’s just not as great as it seems.

[Nadim171]

I love it! It makes your relationship with your parents way stronger and just gives you more personal space

[CoffeeWC]

I have two siblings and we have gone through everything together. Love having siblings.