I recall reading somewhere that although we choose our friends, our family and the kind of family we are born into are mostly determined by chance. The members that make up our family are linked together by marriage, biological relations, or adoption. The number of siblings you will have as a child in a typical home will depend on the parent or other circumstances that are not always in your control.
But imagine if you could choose whether to be the only child or to have several brothers and sisters what would be your choice? Well, that is the question I choose to answer from this edition of the Weekend experiences.
We, humans, are social beings and that is why family exists in the first place. The lowest unit of human organization is the nuclear family. Only the parents and their kids make up the nuclear family.
Because childhood is the cornerstone of every human being, family plays a significant part in every person's life. The upbringing you receive as a youngster affects how you grow up, how you view the world, and for some people, what kind of career they choose.
If I had the choice of choosing to be an only child or have several brothers and sisters, I would go for the latter. Why? One of the biggest challenges one can face as a child is being the only child of their parents even though it comes with its benefits but its disadvantages outweigh its benefits.
When your parents leave the house for work or other destinations they can't take you to, you can find yourself home alone. It isn't pleasant to leave youngsters alone at such a young age since it might result in loneliness for the child. On the other side, a child benefits from having siblings since they may play, converse and share experiences, which can help overcome boredom and loneliness.
Also, having siblings makes you feel important because it makes you feel like you have someone you care about or who cares about you. Yet many may counter that not every sibling gets along well and that there may be animosity between siblings. I still think that a child has a more enjoyable childhood when they have someone they know so well that they can play with and crack jokes with.
In addition to preventing loneliness, having many brothers and sisters may be a valuable socializing tool because families are where kids develop their earliest social skills. Children can learn social skills including sharing, negotiating, and dispute resolution from their siblings. Also, I think that an only child would struggle socially more than a child who has siblings. (I think; because I lack the stats to support it.)
Apart from social skills a child can also teach or learn new skills that might be handy in the future; such as how to play a game or ride a bike, and may also get help with their homework or other academic pursuits.
But the benefit of having siblings isn't restricted to childhood benefits, but also in adulthood. In the future, your siblings will become your children's aunts and uncles; if you don't have any siblings, this implies that your children won't have aunts or uncles from your side of the family.
Siblings are also very important in adulthood because they can provide emotional support during difficult times, such as the loss of a loved one or a personal crisis. Having siblings to talk to and lean on can be a valuable source of comfort and support that you might not find elsewhere.
Having siblings gives you a sense of connection, belonging, and a shared history. Siblings can expand one's social network and introduce you to new people and experiences that might help you expand and grow.
I can go on and on about the advantages of having siblings and the disadvantages of being the only child because I have been there and I know how it feels being the only child and not having anybody to interact with or call your brother or sister... it sucks.
So if I had the option of choosing to have siblings or not; I would pick having siblings.
It is often said that blood is thicker than water. How true is that? Maybe I need to find out in my chemistry lab...lol
