I grew up with a big family but I will admit I �wished my brothers and sisters away� quite often. Sometimes I only wanted sisters and not brothers and sometimes I wanted everyone gone so that I would be an only child. I wanted all of the attention but it occurred to me that I would get lonely. So I�d like to take a poll.
Growing up did you wish for more siblings or less?

I think it depends on the situation. I was a neglected child so I wished for siblings. I think had I not been I would have enjoyed being an only child more.

I grew up with four brothers and two sisters. I cannot imagine it otherwise. I am the middle daughter and the middle of the four sons and the middle of the seven - guess that makes me the mediator for I can see all sides. Or it makes me "middle of the road"!!! Anyway...I think it would be very difficult to be an only child. My grandson is an only child and sometimes I see the advantages and also the disadvantages. He is however, very sensitive to other people's feelings and a very caring individual. One thin for sure, being part of the "magnificent seven" has never made me feel lonely.

I have a half brother, but don't talk to each other much and never see each other. growing up together wasn't any better, we were both abused by both parents ;o(

I am an only child and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. It was very lonely mainly because my parents worked all the time owning a business. Maybe it would have been better with a stay at home mom, but I still would have rather had siblings.

I'm an only child and I never wished for siblings. I was lucky enough to have a large extended family that I saw on a regular basis while growing up. After a couple of hours of noise and confusion, however, I was perfectly happy to go home to my quiet house.

I'm one of three, but I probably would have enjoyed being an only child. (I was a bit of a loner.)

I was an only child and neglected and abused, so I had many social issues to overcome when I reached adulthood. For a long time I believed that being an only child was the worst situation a child could grow up in, but I have since spoken to other only children who loved the experience. It definitely depends on the parenting skills, attention, and socialisation the child receives, particularly with other children.

Unfortunately, though, a major issue remains that an only child's friends can refuse to play with that child if there is a social issue - and the child learns very little from that because the problem is never addressed. Whereas siblings are forced to get over such issues and learn from each other which behaviours are acceptable and which will not be tolerated.

I am sorry you had such a horrid childhood Elle.
And I agree that being an only child (I am not)could cause social issues, if kept in isolation

I am the oldest of nine, with eight younger brothers! It was great growing up, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. Things were often crazy, butwe always knew we were loved. I always wanted a big family as well. We only have two kids, and we won't be able to have anymore unless we adopt due to some medical issues. I had my second open heart surgery about eight months ago and they had to put in a mechanical valve and now I am on a ton of medication that makes it impossible for me to get pregnant. Okay, not impossible just life threatening to both me an dthe baby. Anyway, I went into a deep depression over it, and gained a ton of weight. I am now back on track, looking at what I do have instead of what I don't, and am now trying to lose the weight. yes, I still have a blue day every once in a while but I have discovered better ways to handle them than eating!!

My only sibling is my brother, seven years my junior. My dad always says he had "two only children" because with such an age gap, different genders, and drastically different personalities, we kind of were. The only playtime or even lengthy interaction we had growing up was when I was being used as the unwilling babysitter. I had to keep him occupied and out of trouble, so I had no choice but to play with him. It was never much fun. Middle schoolers and kindergarteners rarely have much in common. I much preferred being alone in my room with my books to hanging out with a little kid.

By the time my brother was old enough to talk to on a similar age/life experience level, I was living in another part of the state. We get along alright on the rare occasions we see each other, but it's more like cousins than siblings. We have a little shared history, but no common ground beyond that. Our adult lives, like our childhoods, are very different.

Basically, my early life would have been improved slightly if my brother had never come along. We were just too far apart for him to have a major impact. With my lifelong love of quiet and solitude, I'd have suffered greatly in a large family situation, or even with a close sibling.

I have 7 brother and sisters, 1 full blood, 4 halves, 2 step. I cannot imagine my life without my siblings. Although, my mom reminds me of the comments that I used to make when I was litte. I used to always tell my mom that we should run away just her and I and get an apartment together and forget about everyone else. (lol I wanted her attention)

I mean, the grass is always greener on the other side. You look at movies today and see the spoiled rich kid whose parents are never around and is bored just by himself but, he has everything you can imagine; and you see the movies with the 12 kids and no privacy but you always have someone there so you never feel lonely, and most of the time you have someone who can watch over you.

I believe that you don't choose your parents, and unfortunately you don't choose the lifestyle they bring you up in... but you grow and you learn and there is no use in looking back on the past wishing that you could change something you had no power over.

I am am only child and was emotionaly neglected after my father died. I think if my dad had not have died and my mom had not sunk into a emotional void I would have liked being a only child. I have always wanted a baby brother tho and a big sister. I just thought a big sister to watch do things and a baby brother to play with in the dirt would be fun! my mom wanted a girly girl and I wanted to get and stay in the dirt and work with dad in the barn... a big sister could have entertained my mom so I could be me!

My brother is 6 years younger than me, so I was raised as a single until I was in grade school. He was a sickly child in his younger years, so it seemed to me that he got all the attention I used to get, and as he grew he was always a nuisance to me and we fought a lot.

But when he was in high school and I was in college and living at home, I remember coming home one day, fixing myself a snack and then making one for him, too. I called him down to the kitchen and he came, as warily as a rabbit in a yard full of sleeping dogs. We ate together and slowly began to talk like adults. That was the beginning of our real friendship that has meant more and more to us as the years have gone by.