First of all, there’s no one to blame anything on. If something happens, it’s not like you can blame it on your parent because obviously they know that they didn’t do it.

There are pros and cons of every situation, and I personally feel like there are more pros to being an only child than one might think. I’m closer to my parents than a lot of my friends who have siblings are because the focus is more on me. I think this has helped me to become more mature in conversation with adults and I’ve grown up at a faster rate than some of the other people that I know.

I’ve learned how to deal with quiet because whenever I would be home alone the house would be quiet other than the background noise of the television or the hum of the refrigerator or the slight creak of the house when the wind blew.

Being an only child has made me more reserved than some of the other people my age, which really isn’t a bad thing. My personality has been shaped by the fact that I am an only child and growing up I didn’t always fit in because of the personality traits that I have. I knew very quickly what I like and didn’t like, for example I was not the outdoors type at all, I did not enjoy playing in the dirt or the creek like some of the other kids did.

I always felt like I was more mature than other kids my age, and I will always credit that to the fact that I am an only child. I think that because I became so close with my parents and I was always around adults I learned how adults spoke and acted, which I liked to mirror.

I feel like without having siblings, I am a bit more shy and sensitive than those who do have siblings because I didn’t have a brother or a sister teasing me while growing up like some people did.

The only con that I really feel came out of growing up as an only child was the fact that I didn’t have a sibling to play with. I know a lot of people who are really close with their siblings and I never got to experience that.

I always wonder how different my life would be if I had a brother or a sister. Would I still have the same personality? Would I have some of the things that I have now? Would we get along or would we fight? Life is full of ‘what ifs’ and for me this is one of the big ones.

As an inside look of being an only child for those who have siblings, here’s how growing up was for me. I had my own room and my own bathroom my whole life. Although I may have gotten more things than those who have siblings, I am not spoiled. My parents made sure not to spoil me and I’m thankful for that because I don’t think I was a brat.

I didn’t have to split my parents’ attention with anyone which was always really nice because I always had two loving people checking in on me. Having siblings and being an only child are two very different experiences, and although I wouldn’t know how it is to grow up with siblings I would not trade being an only child for the world.

Especially now that I’m at college I feel like I am closer with my parents than ever before. I call or text them every day and we talk about what’s going on in each of our lives. I invite them to come visit me a lot and we always have plans for a family vacation. Being an only child truly has shaped who I am today.