Growing up I never considered my circumstance a "syndrome". I was an only child and that was just the way things were. I never wished or wanted for anything different. My parents fought hard to overcome the only child stereotypes and I'd like to say that they were successful. Most people choose to think that only children are spoiled rotten brats and that they are constantly begging their parents for siblings, but for me, that wasn't the case. There are too many perks to being an only child, but just to name a few...
You have an unbreakably strong relationship with your parents.
In my family we like to call ourselves "The Perfect Triangle". It has always been just us 3 and always will be. I spent so much of my childhood with my parents and I was blessed to have a stay at home mom who was always around. At times I would get annoyed with my parents, just like one would with a sibling, but for the most part we have had amazing relationship. I was always able to have one-on-one personal attention from either of my parents whenever I wanted or needed it. My parents know me better than any other people in the entire world. Some may consider this a curse, but I consider it a blessing. I've always had them there to catch me when I fall. They are my best friends.
You become fiercely independent at a young age.
I cherish my independence. As an only child, you not only learn how to spend time alone, but you also learn how to enjoy it. Although I have always liked to spend time by myself, I have never felt alone or isolated. Learning self-reliance and a positive sense of independence as a kid has helped me at all times of my life, especially now in college.
Being around adults isn't intimidating.
It has always been easy for me to strike up a conversation with adults. My friends looked at me funny when I was young because I was actually having a real conversation with their parents. But being around mostly older people when I was a kid has taken that fear away that many people have of adults. I pride myself in my ability to talk to mostly anyone, and that has helped me immensely as I get older. I have confidence in myself in all situations where an authority figure is involved. For instance with jobs, interviews, relationships with teachers and professors, etc., I have the ability to communicate with ease.
Your cousins and friends become like siblings.
One of the biggest blessing of being an only child is that you essentially get to choose your siblings. I consider my best friends my sisters and brothers. As an only child, you truly value your friendships, are fiercely loyal, and protect your friends like you would a sibling. Not only do you have friends to be like siblings, but also your cousins. Ever since I was young my bonds with my cousins have been very strong. I have been lucky to call my very best friend my cousin and my sister. Even to this day, when most of us have gone our separate ways for college and jobs, when we all get together it's like we never left.
Having all of the attention doesn't actually suck.
Many people think that having all of the attention on you is the worst part about being an only child and, don't get me wrong, there are times that it isn't ideal, but I have never felt like having all the attention from my parents was a bad thing. My parents never failed to keep the perfect balance between too much and not enough. They knew when to give me space, but they also knew when I needed them.
Being an only child comes with many stigmas and stereotypes, but I love being the one and only. I am a Daddy's Girl and a Momma's Girl. Only children aren't (always) spoiled rotten and we don't (always) feel like we need something different in our families. Being an only child has blessed me with many things like a healthy self-esteem, beautiful relationships, and a perspective on life that you can solely receive as a single child. Although I give most of the credit to my parents, I do believe we were meant to be a 3 person family, and that is why we have always been content. Like it says in Ephesians 4:12 (and what my family likes to call our family Bible verse) "A cord of three strands is not easily broken."
