If you don't know what only child syndrome is, let me give you the low down. Scientists have come up with the notion that a kid with no brothers and sisters will grow up to be spoiled, selfish, rude and lonely. This notion was dubbed the "only child syndrome." When I tell people that I am an only child, the first question they always ask me is if I'm spoiled. Why is that the first thing that comes to their minds? Why does being an only child have to have a negative connotation? I'm here to tell you what it's really like being an only child.

Growing up, it's safe to say that my best friends were my parents. I did everything with them. Since I had no siblings, it was just me and them. Sure, it was nice at the time that I was really close with my parents, but that hindered my social skills with other kids my age.

I was denied by a prestigious preschool because they said that I was too "antisocial". All the other kids were playing together while I was in a corner, coloring by myself. I was content with my life, but as I started getting older, I realized what I had missed out on. I would have tea time with myself. I literally talked to my stuffed animals because I had no one else to talk to. I had an imaginary friend that I did everything with. Being an only child just made me extremely lonely. I mean, yes, I did get the stuff that I wanted and my parents loved me more than anything. But still, even though I had every toy possible, I had no one to share it with.

I'm not going to lie. There are plenty of only children out there who are extremely spoiled, but it's not fair to say that they have only child syndrome. I think I can speak for every only child out there when I say that we are just very lonely and trying to adjust to the busy world out there by increasing our social skills. So next time I say I'm an only child, don't ask me if I'm spoiled. Because the answer will always be no.