Only Child Parenting And Getting The Balance Right

During the 'baby boom' years of the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s it was commonly held that an only child was disadvantaged by not having brothers and sisters but as we moved into the 1970s, and environmental factors moved high up on the social agenda, it became fashionable to view the only child as being advantaged by having greater parental time and attention. In essence, whether or not being an only child was an advantage or a disadvantage had more to do with society's view of the world than it did with the position of the child himself.

Only children are often perceived as being unable to relate well to other children, as being selfish and spoilt and as being unable to stand up for themselves. In fact none of this is true and while you will find only children who do fit this picture, you will also find many children from larger families who fit the picture as well.

If anything, research shows that being an only child does have its advantages and many only children have higher self esteem, better verbal skills, are more highly motivated in terms of academic achievement and often have better relationships with their parents. In many other areas such as popularity, generosity, leadership and independence there appears to be little difference between an only child and children from larger families.

There are however some family situations which can bring special problems for the only child.

Raising bébé: Latest cross-cultural parenting guide extols laissez-faire ... ...
12 Feb 2012 at 9:04am

National Post (blog)
Raising bébé: Latest cross-cultural parenting guide extols laissez-faire ...
National Post (blog)
She gets to the bottom of it in Bringing Up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting ? a book that feeds ...

Dad, daughter reach 'truce' after laptop shooting - Ninemsn
12 Feb 2012 at 7:04pm

The Moderate Voice
Dad, daughter reach 'truce' after laptop shooting
Ninemsn
The discovery prompted him to record a video entitled "Facebook Parenting: For the Troubled Teen", later uploaded to YouTube, in which he countered his daughter's claims and...

Video of Chinese toddler sobbing in snow sparks outrage - CNN International
9 Feb 2012 at 3:15pm

India Today
Video of Chinese toddler sobbing in snow sparks outrage
CNN International
Like an eagle, I push my child to the limit so he can learn how to fly." The father shot and posted the online video clip showing his 4-year-old son running down a ...

Our moral cowardice means we care for our children no better than the Victori...
12 Feb 2012 at 12:15pm

Our moral cowardice means we care for our children no better than the Victorians
Daily Mail (blog)
Only now are we beginning to see and acknowledge the scale of the crisis ? a crisis of child neglect,inadequate, neglectful and abusive 'parenting' as...