There are conflicting theories. That only proves that there is no conclusive answer to this. Individuals respond differently to circumstances and their choices ultimately make them who they are. There is no formula in life that can tell us how exactly things would go down, tying cause and effect. That's the gift or challenge of human life, however we see it.
An only child doesn't need to compete at home. This can go either way. The child could get extremely competitive outside to hoard attention to match the attention at home or be content and laid back because there is no need to overcompensate.
A child with siblings could learn to fight at home or share and that again depends on the individual in question. There is no way to predetermine behaviors. An only child could use the same opportunity outside home and appreciate friendships and co-operation more.
I am an only child. I never missed siblings while growing up. But I do remember that my friendships were intense. I grew up in a regressive society but I did not let that affect me. My internal compass was different. I spent more time with books and in a way that defined my culture. My parents supported my ideologies, even the ones they were not accustomed to. I was idealistic as a child and had complete disregard for consequences.
My parents used to praise me to high heavens while growing up and that did have an impact on me. Every school year ended with a bunch of certificates and trophies. I was also considered good looking when I was younger and this coupled with participation in extra curricular activities meant that I always had more attention than I could manage. I had to deal with friends fighting over me, someone shouting their apparent 'love' in a public bus, people who didn't date but would approach between my dating history that was short lived anyway and later an ex boyfriend who proposed marriage even years after breaking up with no contact, someone publishing a book after the break up which was apparently a sweet tribute. There was no negativity or ill will even after break ups. I was loved. I did block for a short while when I got friend requests on fb from a couple of ex boyfriends but it was only a message that I don't want to stay in touch and not out of malice. When I close a door, I don't look back. That's all. I sincerely believed that I could succeed in anything I put my mind to and if not, it's probably not something that matters. It's scary to have that amount of confidence. There were times I felt that I was better than someone or the other. I realized that this attitude could make me an egotist.
I could not bring down my confidence and I dealt with that by raising up everyone else. I trained myself to see the potential in others and celebrate the differences. If there are multiple hypothesis, I learned to pick the one that was self deprecating. I don't participate in conversations where someone is called an idiot. I give myself a free pass to criticize only when hypocrisy or bigotry is in question. I am competitive at work but I also believe in helping others succeed. My circumstances had its own pros and cons but I make those choices every single day. I do slip but I notice that it gets less with time.
Every 'cause' comes with multiple possibilities and the 'effect' doesn't entirely depend on that when other variables are in question. Ultimately, it's up to the individual.
An only child doesn't need to compete at home. This can go either way. The child could get extremely competitive outside to hoard attention to match the attention at home or be content and laid back because there is no need to overcompensate.
A child with siblings could learn to fight at home or share and that again depends on the individual in question. There is no way to predetermine behaviors. An only child could use the same opportunity outside home and appreciate friendships and co-operation more.
I am an only child. I never missed siblings while growing up. But I do remember that my friendships were intense. I grew up in a regressive society but I did not let that affect me. My internal compass was different. I spent more time with books and in a way that defined my culture. My parents supported my ideologies, even the ones they were not accustomed to. I was idealistic as a child and had complete disregard for consequences.
My parents used to praise me to high heavens while growing up and that did have an impact on me. Every school year ended with a bunch of certificates and trophies. I was also considered good looking when I was younger and this coupled with participation in extra curricular activities meant that I always had more attention than I could manage. I had to deal with friends fighting over me, someone shouting their apparent 'love' in a public bus, people who didn't date but would approach between my dating history that was short lived anyway and later an ex boyfriend who proposed marriage even years after breaking up with no contact, someone publishing a book after the break up which was apparently a sweet tribute. There was no negativity or ill will even after break ups. I was loved. I did block for a short while when I got friend requests on fb from a couple of ex boyfriends but it was only a message that I don't want to stay in touch and not out of malice. When I close a door, I don't look back. That's all. I sincerely believed that I could succeed in anything I put my mind to and if not, it's probably not something that matters. It's scary to have that amount of confidence. There were times I felt that I was better than someone or the other. I realized that this attitude could make me an egotist.
I could not bring down my confidence and I dealt with that by raising up everyone else. I trained myself to see the potential in others and celebrate the differences. If there are multiple hypothesis, I learned to pick the one that was self deprecating. I don't participate in conversations where someone is called an idiot. I give myself a free pass to criticize only when hypocrisy or bigotry is in question. I am competitive at work but I also believe in helping others succeed. My circumstances had its own pros and cons but I make those choices every single day. I do slip but I notice that it gets less with time.
Every 'cause' comes with multiple possibilities and the 'effect' doesn't entirely depend on that when other variables are in question. Ultimately, it's up to the individual.
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