Do you think having at least one sibling is important?

Question

Also what would be the advantages and disadvantages of having only one child?

Answer 1

Yes, it is very important I think.

I experience most of my friends who do not have any siblings to be a lot more difficult to be around rather than people with siblings.

Having a brother or sister teaches you at an early age to have compassion, to be caring and concerned of others as well as developing that sense of how to interact and become friends with someone.

Not to mention how much nicer it is for that child to always have a friend even later on in life.

Example, one of my former best friends (former because she was too much to handle) had no siblings. She had very wealthy parents who all of her childhood had only one focus. How to make her life as good as possible. She always got everything she wanted at home and even though she is smart and polite among friends and family (she went with me on vacation) she always, always wanted full attention.

And for most people and friends and boyfriends it was too much to handle. She would make up stories and lie and cheat and deceive in order to always get the attention she got at home due to being an only child. Plus I always felt she was a bit lonely, she always needed someones company.

Another example is my cousin, who does not come from a very wealthy family but once again always got extremely pampered. He grew up to become a real big wimp. Not manly at all, he became mama's boy and nothing will or can ever change that.

So yes having siblings is one of the most important things in life.

Answer 2

Birth order is in indicator of certain tendencies and general characteristics, whether you are an oldest child, middle child,  youngest child or only child. But birth order is not a simple stereotyping system--there are many variables.

Firstborns

General Characteristics: perfectionistic, reliable, conscientious, list-makers, well-organized, critical, serious, scholarly; achiever, self-sacrificing, people-pleaser, conservative, supporter of law and order, believer in authority and ritual, legalistic, loyal, and self-reliant.

Firstborns may be more highly motivated to achieve than their younger siblings or may choose professions such as science, medicine, or law. A greater number of firstborns also choose careers as accountants, bookkeepers, executive secretaries, engineers, or jobs involving computers. Firstborns typically go for anything that takes precision, strong powers of concentration, and exacting mental discipline.

A common characteristic of a firstborn is confidence in being taken seriously by those around him. It’s no wonder that firstborns often go on to positions of leadership or high achievement. Fifty-two percent of United States presidents were firstborns (only four have been babies of their families).

All the attention, the spotlight, and the responsibility add up to PRESSURE. A lot of the pressure on the oldest child comes in the form of discipline and, in too many cases, punishment.

Firstborns often feel they had to “toe the mark” while younger siblings had it easier, at least to some degree. Right along with getting the most discipline, the firstborn gets the most work—they are frequently the first to be called for the extra housework or errands that other siblings can’t or won’t do. Firstborns are often also forced to follow in father’s or mother’s professional footsteps.

Middle-Borns

The general characteristics of the middle-born child are the most varied and contradictory of all the birth positions. Characteristics may include being a mediator or one who avoids conflict, being independent and extremely loyal to a peer group, and frequently being the child in the family who gets “lost.” This child may be shy and quiet or friendly and outgoing, impatient and easily frustrated or laid back, taking life in stride. A middle-born may be very competitive or very easygoing, the family “black sheep” or the peacemaker.

“Branching off” is a powerful force in shaping middle-borns. This principle says the second born will be most directly influenced by the first born and the third born will be most directly influenced by the second born. “Influence” means that each child looks above and sizes up the older sibling. If the second born senses he can compete with the older sibling, he may do so. But if the older sibling is stronger, smarter, etc., the second born typically shoots off in another direction. The general conclusion of all research studies done on birth order is that second-borns will probably be somewhat the opposite of the firstborns. Because later-born children “bounce off” the ones directly above them, there is no way to predict which way they might go or how their personalities might develop.

“I just didn’t get much respect” is a key distinguishing phrase for middle borns. Middle children often describe their birth position as “out of place,” “misunderstood,” “fifth wheels,” or as “leftovers who always got bypassed and upstaged by the younger or older siblings.” Friends become very special to the middle-born child — it’s how they obtain the cherished rewards and recognition that motivate all children. The middle born is independent and is extremely loyal to his peer group. Because of their birth order, middle-borns learn to negotiate and compromise and frequently work to avoid conflict.

Last-Borns

Youngest children in the family are typically the outgoing charmers, the personable manipulators. They are also affectionate, uncomplicated, and sometimes a little absent-minded. Their “space cadet” approach to life gets laughs, smiles and shakes of the head. A typical characteristic of the last-born is that he is more carefree and vivacious—a real “people person” who is usually popular in spite of (because of?) his clowning.

There is also another mainstream of qualities in most last-borns. Besides being charming, outgoing, affectionate, and uncomplicated, they can also be rebellious, critical, temperamental, spoiled, impatient, and impetuous—the “dark side” of the last-born. Last-borns carry the curse of not being taken seriously, first by their families and then by the world.

The tendency is to let the last born sort of shift for himself. It’s not unusual for babies of the family to get most of their instruction from their brothers and sisters in many areas. Obviously, receiving instructions from older brothers and sisters does not ensure that last borns are getting the facts of life (or anything else) very straight. Last-borns are used to being put down.

Only Child

Like firstborns, single children are often treated like little adults—sometimes to the point of feeling they never had a childhood. The labels describing firstborns also fit the only-born; but preceding each label—perfectionistic, reliable, conscientious, well-organized, critical, serious, scholarly, cautious, conservative—add the word super.

When the only child falls victim to perfectionism, she usually moves toward one of two extremes. Either one of these roads can lead to becoming the “discouraged perfectionist.”

He may become very critical, cold-blooded, and objective, never tolerating mistakes or failure on his part or on the part of others. Or she may become everybody’s rescuer, the one who agonizes over the problems of others and always wants to move in, take over, and solve everything. Discouraged perfectionists are usually very structured people who hold very high expectations for themselves and others.

Other things also influence birth order.

Many researchers think that where we are in relationship to our brothers and sisters helps influence how we develop.



Spacing is an obvious factor. Whenever there is a gap of five or more years between children, it often means that a “second family” has begun. So a child born third in a family constellation but whose next older sibling is seven years older, may develop first-born tendencies.

This doesn’t mean he wouldn’t have any characteristics of a middle or last-born child, but is likely to also be quite “adult”—conscientious and exacting—because he had so many older models.

s*x: One way birth order characteristics can change is by the s*x of the child. The first born of any gender is more likely to take on first-born characteristics. Sometimes work or chores are assigned based on s*x. In a very traditional home the oldest male usually gets the “manly” chores such as cutting the lawn, digging weeds, hauling trash, and helping Dad. His younger sister would be assigned the “mother's helper” jobs: housecleaning, doing the dishes, and so on.

In larger families, when s*x differences create someone “special” (like three boys and one girl) it can put pressure on the children immediately above or below that special person.

The physical makeup of the children can turn birth order upside down. Examples here could include two closely spaced boys with the youngest being significantly bigger;  

a firstborn girl who is extremely pretty and a second-born girl who is extremely plain;

a child in any birth order who has a serious physical or mental disability.

Twins: Twins are often an interesting mix of competitor and companion. The “firstborn” often takes the assertive role of leader while the “second-born” follows along. In a family constellation, twins are bound to cause pressure, especially on any children born after them.

Answer 3

Well thank god that I am not a only child...of course it is important to have a sibling, sometimes you just need a person to talk to, a brother sister bond is the best thing anybody can ever ask for, I have a neighbor that is an only child and he has always asked his parents why they didnt have any more children and that he can not stand being alone...he is always alone in his room and has no one to talk too...of course he has friends and everything but it is not the same having a sibling in the house!!! So every child deserves to have a brother or a sister!!! There have been times when i have said "i wish i was an only child" but i never ever meant it...I am the oldest and have a younger brother that is 2 years younger than me...Would hate to be a only child!!! :[

Answer 4

I'm not the only child in the family and I'm the youngest. Sometimes, I wished I was the ONLY child so that nobody can snatch things from me, my parents could care for me more and they would treat me as their precious. But in fact, I was wrong. I realised not being the only child was great too, there were someone who would care for you, teach you things that you don't know, play with you and many many stuffs. When you're unhappy, at least you could tell them your troubles as you know , sometimes it's hard to tell your personal problems to your parents about it. If I can choose, I would choose to have siblings instead of being the only child. [:

Answer 5

I'm not an only child.  I have one brother.  And I'm the eldest.

I guess you could say it's normal for a person to want to be an only child.  Others, who are the only child in the family, tend to wish that they want a sibling, at least one.  In other cases, they enjoy the life of being an only child because then they'd have all the attention.

I guess you could say that to have a sibling is like having a companion or buddy.  Although, you would have the occasional quarrel, which is pretty normal for all siblings.  Some may even fight more often than most but in the end, they're still siblings.

Advantages of having only one child:

1. the child would be happy because he/she would have all your attention and would have more freedom.

2. less to things to spend for (more for the parent)

Disadvantages:

1. wanting someone to talk to or relate to when lonely

2. if the parents' attention is too focused on the child, the child might be too sheltered and won't be able to mingle with others his/her age.

Other than that, you should decide.  Try being in the child's shoes.  Hypothetically speaking, it depends on how you raise your child.  If you raise your child properly and not excessively, then you won't really have to worry about the disadvantages.  Good luck on that.

Answer 6

I love having a sister! I get to share her clothes and talk to her about things I could never tell my mother!! Thats a disadvantage but another one would be you wouldn't have to spend a lot of money on kids cuz you only have one!!

mine?

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