Only Child 4 Problems Faced

An only child or daughter becomes the center of attention in the home. Sometimes, overprotective parents and other negative behaviors regarding their upbringing can affect the development of these children in a direct way and create conflicts in their personality. Here are 4 problems that an only child can face.

Problems faced by an only child

1. Difficulty relating

Only children have no brothers or sisters with whom to share their free time. It has always been said that the attention they receive at home and the habit of focusing on their own needs can cause difficulties in empathizing with other children.

The best example is when they attend school for the first time and find themselves in an environment in which everyone plays their role. Your initial reaction is usually one of rejection.

However, there is still a lot of controversy in this regard due to many studies affirming that this is the case, while others deny it, so more research is necessary in this regard, since, depending on the sample to be studied, the data coincide with a position or another, as this work carried out by researchers from the Pontifical University of Comillas, Madrid points out.

2. Conflict management

Problems are part of everyday life. However, it is suggested that, during childhood, we develop our skills for conflict resolution.

Having no siblings to fight with, and having parents who constantly take care of their problems, an only son or daughter can grow up with disabilities to handle situations and conflicts.

It is possible that there is a certain tendency to defeatism, since they have not had to fight for what they want.

3. Selfishness as an only child

Most children up to the age of 10 or 12 feel that they are the center of the world. However, daughters and sons who have siblings have to learn to share.

A common thought in only children is that they have the right to obtain everything without thinking of others, since all the parents’ economic resources are used, generally, to satisfy their needs, and there is no other person with whom to share the space and time, as this study from Sek International University points out. But this belief depends a lot on the way they are raised.

4. Excessive pressure

Regardless of age, parents place all their hopes on their children. In the case of frustrated or overly demanding parents, this can lead to too much pressure being placed on the child, especially if they are only children. Thus, these children will try everything to make the dreams of their parents come true.

Solutions to face the problems of being an only child

• Give your son or daughter a certain level of responsibility. Teach him to help you at home, clean up his room, take care of his pet … In this way, your little one will learn to use his time, value yourself and take care of what he has.
• Your daughter or son needs independence and love at the same time. It needs you, but you must also give it space to make the little mistakes that will shape its experience and personality.
• Every child feels that he is the center of the world, but it is our duty to teach him differently. You can help him make friends by enrolling him in activity groups that he enjoys or encouraging him to develop study circles at home.

• Your children have the right to be who they want to be and your role is to advise and guide them to be good, accomplished and happy people, following a good parenting style. You can!

In conclusion, it is essential that only children learn to be very responsible, to empathize and to share with others. By themselves, these means make it difficult for selfishness to appear.

The value of sharing and putting oneself in the place of others is fundamental in society, an increasingly tolerant and open society, based on respect for others and exchange.