The society is structured in a way that allows people of different personalities and social skills to interact in diverse ways. As such, the manner in which a child grows plays a significant role in their social lives as children and later on as adults. Some are raised as only children by their parents, while others have siblings whom they interact with and form relationships that may even last their entire lifetimes. A close inspection of both types of individuals proves that they are different in numerous ways, which may be both positive and negative. However, children who are raised among other siblings have continually proven that there are more advantages of having more people within the family to interact with, as it lays a better foundation for them to develop better extended social skills, which are vital for interaction.
One of the main merits of having siblings is that they build one’s communication skills and makes one better at negotiations and conflict resolution. Most siblings tend to have numerous conflicts as they grow up due to limited resources or the normal competition over different things, including attention. Although these issues may be dangerous if not properly controlled by the adults, most children benefit significantly. Such children learn to speak their minds in class, defend their ideas and are more outspoken in other social set-ups. When asked to explain their emotions, they can comfortably elaborate with confidence. This is because having siblings encourages them to step out of their cocoons and become better individuals. Additionally, such individuals have an easier time conjuring new relations with their peers.
Teamwork and cooperation are also easier to acquire as a child growing up among other siblings. This is mainly because children who are raised together are encouraged to work on house chores either as individuals or as a group. Some parents also insist on proper schedules during school weeks and different activities for holidays. Therefore, such children are given properly structured lives from their early days and can work or play together with their siblings comfortably. As such, they become more reliable individuals who can be accountable while working with other team members and have an easier time coordinating with people from diverse backgrounds. Compromising for the welfare of others is also a characteristic of such children because they are brought up learning to accommodate the different demands of their siblings. Some may want lower temperatures in the house, while others may prefer specific television shows. Each of these factors may lead to some minor conflicts, but they also encourage such children to be better team players as opposed to being self-centered (Kitzmann et al.).
Children who are raised together with other siblings also have a better chance of having good psychological welfare. This is because they can share their emotions and relate to each other easily. When the family is going through a rough financial patch, for instance, siblings have an easier time overcoming the challenges brought by such because they can communicate and share their feelings. They develop bonds that make them feel secure and empathize with each other during these challenging times. Parents also play a vital role in instilling unity and love among their children, as well as mutual respect, which empowers each child and also ensures that they are close. Similarly, other siblings are crucial in this case because their closeness to age makes them more comfortable confiding in each other and thus forming strong emotional support systems. As adults, such individuals can be in a better position when faced with challenges, to overcome, or even to seek help in extreme situations. They can also form strong relationships with other people and learn to trust others even more, giving them a chance to interact freely without the fear of being abandoned or judged. Moreover, most of these individuals have the security of having siblings whom they can always turn to when things take a dark turn.
Although having siblings has numerous advantages, as already stipulated, it is easy for such families to develop toxic relationships that are unhealthy and may lead to long-lasting effects on an individual. Such bad relationships can be engineered by parents through favoring other children or by children due to their difference in personality and motivations. Some children are naturally bullies and may have negative attitudes towards other siblings, leading to complicated relationships. Additionally, domestic abuse may also contribute to the relationships that are forged among siblings, most of which may be negative due to the example set by the parents. All these issues can be avoided by parents, who are tasked with the responsibility of creating suitable environments where their children can grow and interact peacefully, which will later translate into stable adults.
The alternative to having siblings is being raised as an only child, which may have its merits but fails to lead to all-rounded individuals when compared to those raised together as a group (Shi et al.). Only child families are naturally smaller since they may only comprise of the parents or a single parent and the child. This is extremely lonely and may limit the child’s worldview from a very tender age. Such children rely exclusively on the media and school to get more information and to be entertained, especially when the parents pay little attention to them. Making friends for such children may also be hard because they have limited social skills and may take some time adjusting to most social constructs. They also lack the unique bond that is formed among siblings, which gives a sense of security and companionship, and can only make bonds with other children which may not be equally strong. Being an only child may also encourage one to be self-centered and have difficulty when sharing. These children are used to being their parents’ canter of attention, and when they are given a treat or something special, they do not have to share with other people. Additionally, such children may be used to being overly protected, making them lack some vital social skills (Jones). Such over protection encourages ecocentrism and may make them more aggressive towards their peers instead of them having proper relationships as expected in school. They may even have challenges completing tasks compared to their peers due to the culture that exists in their homes.
Having siblings may have its downside, but it is the better option, as it allows a child to be grounded, and all-rounded, which translates to being a better person in the society. Parents should work towards establishing proper families where children can interact and develop appropriate relationships and proper bonds. People from such places have proper personalities and are reliable in everything that they are tasked with. Leaders are seen to have strong bonds with siblings, which is where they acquire their skills and make them unique individuals that can set the pace in organizations and other social set-ups in general.
Works Cited
Jones, Dana. “Theory of Mind and Egocentrism: A Comparative Study of Only Children versus Those with Siblings.” Scripps Senior Theses, Jan. 2016, scholarship.claremont.edu/scripps_theses/727/.
Kitzmann, Katherine M., et al. “Are Only Children Missing Out? Comparison of the Peer-Related Social Competence of Only Children and Siblings.” Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, vol. 19, no. 3, June 2002, pp. 299–316, https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407502193001.
Shi, Jiayi, et al. “Are Only Children Always Better? Testing the Sibling Effects on Academic Performance in Rural Chinese Adolescents.” Children and Youth Services Review, vol. 131, Dec. 2021, p. 106291, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2021.106291. Accessed 30 Nov. 2021.
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