What is an ‘only child’? What do you think about when you see the words ‘only child’?

Someone who:
is all alone?
has no one to talk to or play with when he or she is at home?
has everything he or she wants because there are no other kids to share with?
is really spoilt by parents and grandparents?
doesn’t join in with other kids?
Well I suppose there are some ‘only children’ who would fit these descriptions, but there are also lots of other kids who would too.
What some people think about ‘only children’
An ‘only child’ doesn’t have brothers or sisters.
True, but there are lots of families where there is such a big gap in the ages of children that rather than brother or sister, they are each like an only child. Some ‘only children’ have step-brothers and step-sisters.
An ‘only child’ is lonely.
Some children may be lonely, while others may enjoy having the full attention of their parents. Some may go to a boarding school where they have lots of people their own age, or they may live in a remote area and be part of a radio class of children like themselves. Many ‘only children’ live near others and have lots of friends.
Some ‘only children’ learn to be very good at doing things on their own as well.
An ‘only child’ doesn’t have to share things with others.
Well, he may not have brothers and sisters but anyone in a family has to learn to share with the others in the family and he is not an ‘only child’ in the classroom.
‘Only children’ may not have to learn how to share as young as other children. An ‘only child’ gets whatever she wants.
Some children nowadays seem to get the things that they want, whether they are an ‘only child’ or not. Having lots of things does not always lead to happiness.
An ‘only child’ gets spoilt by grandparents.
Some children may see their grandparents often, while many children may not even be in the same country as their grandparents. In the ‘olden days’ people grew up and stayed in the place where they were born, but nowadays many people move for their work or family reasons, looking for a safer or better life style for themselves and their children.
And saying that getting lots of love and attention from your grandparents is ‘spoiling’ kids, seems to be saying love is bad. Love and attention is good for people so long as we treat each other with respect.
(Source: cyh.com)