Being the only child in the family can be considered as advantageous for some people and disadvantageous for others. Although it has some advantages like more undivided attention from parents, no sibling rivalry and more material benefits, it also has its disadvantages like a lonely childhood, becoming a selfish person when grow up, the parents’ burden that a child has to carry after some years and the bad manners of a child. The advantages of being the only child in the family can be divided into two sub-categories such as materialistic and psychological advantages.
The former one concerns the benefits thta the child gets more as in the case of parents who buy more presents to their only child whereas the latter one concerns the parent’s undivided attention and the non-existence of sibling rivalry. Because of the fact the child knows he or she is the only one, he feels that he doesn’t have to be perfect and try to be loved more since the parents don’t have anyone to make comparisons with. The disadvantages of being the only child in the family can also be divided into the same sub-categories as materialistic and psychological disadvantages.
The materialistic ones are that the child may grow up spoiled since he or she will get lots of presents from the entire family and attract more attention. Consequently, this will give rise to the child’s bad manners and the worst example of their behaviour. Accordingly, such a person will probably see his or her parents as a burden when they get old. Similarly, the psychological ones are having a lonely childhood and not being able to share things with others.
Since there will be an absence of a playmate, the child may grow up as a selfish person unless he or she learns the idea from school. Moreover, loneliness may cause the child to become depressed or emotionally disturbed. In conclusion, being the only child in the family can be seen as positive or negative depending on people’s point of view. Nevertheless, parents should always pay attention to their child or children equally and take into consideration what being the only child may cause him or her to become in the future.
