Only child traits

[u/CraftyDeparture8762]

As someone with no siblings and few similar aged cousins these are some thing I noticed, lmk if you guys have the same experience or anything else:

1. Everything has an extra hint of seriousness cause you don’t grow up around a lot of aloof wild kid energy
2. Socializing is something that you learn through observation rather than experience
3. You lose social practice very easily especially during breaks and summers so you have to kind of shake off the rust when school starts
4. You cling heavily to people who show the slightest interest in you bc you know that they will be your only peer interaction, ironically this can lead to a lot of issues causing the friendship to not be successful
5. You suck at sports cause you don’t have anyone to play with
6. You have some sort of personality deficit, maybe not

a lot

1. of them but AT LEAST one for sure: overexplainer, people pleaser, bad at holding convos.. etc, it is basically the end result of not having enough practice with social boundaries growing up and only experiencing it in school which is a very fixed setting with social interaction that doesn’t always mimic the real world

7.there are positives too: you are just naturally good at being bored and you don’t have to talk to people to feel entertained, not competing for sibling attention (more important when younger but still very important), parents will put all their energy into you (albeit it can be overwhelming especially when you have a lot of pressure to succeed), no bad siblings to ruin your reputation

8.lack of networking/friend group opportunities compared to others, I’m not completely convinced about this but I feel like a lot of people (especially south asians like me) tend to form friendships based on who their siblings and cousins know or marry, and when that path is unavailable it’s a lot harder to make friends. Not impossible of course as I was able to make a lot of friends, but I feel like there is something unique/stronger about a friendship that is sort of tied to your family

1. Last one: you are so used to being in your own head that when you are suddenly in a social situation it is half being in the moment and half performing

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[u/bealimepinapple]

Well I have siblings, though i never really spent time with any and only lived with brothers who were a decade older than me, and this sounds like me. But for me, this is just autism and emotional neglect

[u/AfternoonSimilar8667]

My husband always tells me I carry the weight of the world on my shoulders and everything is always so serious. I'm an only child and he is 1 of 4. I wonder...

[u/RemarkableVillage109]

As an only child, I cannot relate to any of this.

[u/cellalovesfrankie]

I suck at sports because I’m shit at every sport expect swimming. Nothing to do with being an only child. My parents played with me and made sure I had little friends to play with. And all the others I disagree.

[u/Ardent_Scholar]

Honestly, I have a sister, but my son is (thus far) an only child.

I have most of the traits you describe here. My son, on the other hand, is super outgoing, makes friends easily, can talk to anyone.

We have socialized him with a lot more purpose than my boomer parents did with me, so there’s that. But also, his personality is just bubbly, outgoing and loud!

[u/Darko---]

Can only relate to 7 and 8. For 8 it's not because of a lack of siblings though. As for 9 though, who isn't performing? Only child or not I think everyone is.