Being the only child in your house is quite the unique life to be given. It's an experience full of thoughts only a few people will know: the realization that unless your future spouse has siblings, your child(ren) will be without an aunt or uncle, never understanding the norms of sibling rivalry, and flat out just feeling alone, especially in early childhood. However, this is not to say being sibling-less doesn't have its perks. Sharing is never something forced for you to learn, you always have unconditional and undivided love, and your parents probably thought you were the best child in existence.
While being alone my sound like you get to rule the roost, it can be quite the opposite. Because any and all expectations fall onto you and only you, schoolwork, extra-curricular activities, sports, and any after school functions can seem draining and daunting since your parents expect you to be your absolute best. At home, during childhood mostly, you were left to your own devices, meaning imagination was your best friend. If you were lucky, your parents would play games with you when you were little. Eventually though, this stopped when your parents assumed you were old enough to handle entertaining yourself. Unless you were creative enough to find ways to keep yourself busy, being an only child was very, very lonely.
Being an only child also meant that you were given all credit for anything you did, be it good or bad. Whether you broke mom's new vase or did exceedingly well on a difficult test, you had all the blame or all the success. Of course, this was both a confidence booster as well as a set-back. Being used to solely rely on only yourself was as much of a help as a hindrance; group projects either made you ecstatic or depressed because of it. Working with others in any setting always feels a little different, since you are so used to working with yourself.
One of the best benefits however, is spending time with your family during the holidays. All the attention you could ever want is directed at you since you have no siblings to share it with. It makes you feel invincible almost, as if you are the most important person in the world (to your family, at least).Though, having a spotlight on your entire life can be overwhelming, if only because having everyone in your close family want to know what you are doing at every moment can be a little tiring if nothing else.
Although being an only child most definitely has its unlimited perks (attention, endless love, etc.), it comes with a batch of hardships many people don't recognize. Many children who are by themselves go through periods of loneliness only felt by children of the same fate. In a way, I believe that only children are the luckiest children of all. It can be scary sometimes, knowing that you have to face the world alone, but knowing that the most unwavering friend of all is yourself gives you a kind of confidence hardly anyone will ever get to understand. Sometimes, having the company of "me, myself, and I," is the only company you need.
