There is always that question when sitting down talking to friends on the first day of school asking, "Do you have any brothers or sisters?" My answer to that question was always, "Well no, but I have dogs!" Yes, I was that girl, but I ended up gaining many qualities from being an only child.

Sure, it was lonely at times and there was quite a bit of time where imaginary friends were a thing. But, I learned how to be very independent and mature from it.

I grew up being an only child with divorced parents at the age of two. I was always a really shy kid and felt a little out of place. In social settings outside of school, I was rarely around other people my age. After I would get home from elementary school, I would always play with my barbies, Polly Pockets, and little pet shop toys. My dog, Smirnoff, (yes her name is Smirnoff) would sit and watch me play with my toys. Smirnoff was like a sibling to me. Just one that couldn't talk… but would always listen.

There are many stereotypes that go along with being an only child. Antisocial, spoiled rotten, loners, and selfish, to name a few. I hate to break it to you but stereotypes are usually wrong. Just because two partners only had one child doesn't mean they're magically going to get be spoiled and get everything they want.

Most of the time only children end up being very independent, social, kind, and empathetic. Since us only children have spent most of our time with older adults we tend to have more of a mature outlook on situations.

I want to clear a couple things up about being an only child:

1. We aren't that weird.

There are many stereotypes out there that claim only children are weird because they aren't around children their age as much.

2. We don't get everything we want.

Our parents are the same as all other parents. They had one child for a reason and that reason being: having kids is a lot of money.

3. We actually don't mind sharing with other people.

Just because we've probably had our own room and bathroom our whole lives doesn't mean we can't be nice and share.

4. We aren't loners.

We have friends, just saying

5. We make sure to respect authority figures.

Growing up mainly around adult figures allowed us to gain a different type of respect for authority

6. We aren't self-absorbed.

"I love me, myself, and I" is not our motto.