Tags
blogging101, Family, Journaling, Memories & Reflections, Sandbox Writing Challenge, Writing 101, Writing Prompts
This week’s Sandbox Writing Challenge is wanting to know (after showing us a picture of an adorable little baby): If you were to give this baby something you lacked early in life, what would it be?
I had to think about that a minute because I certainly had everything I needed to grow into a healthy, loved youngen. At least until I was 6! Aha! There we have it then. If I had to choose something to give this baby that I lacked in early life it would be — SIBLINGS!
I was an ONLY till I was 6. The spoiled rotten, coddled, cosseted, center of everyone’s world. THEN along came my brother Mike. Suddenly I found I had a LOT of competition from the “heir to the throne.” Used to be in England (and maybe other countries as well) that a female could NOT inherit from her father. Well that’s exactly what it felt like. Was I ignored, pushed aside? No, of course not. I just had to learn to share. Six was too old for me to make that adjustment, apparently. (In my own opinion, of course.)
So when we were finally told there would be no more babies for us, that’s one of the main reasons we decided to adopt. We did NOT want to raise Bran as an ONLY. (We miscalculated a little. Waited too long. Bran was 10 when Stef came to us. He had an even BIGGER adjustment to make than I did! Fortunately he took it in stride far better than moi!)
Raising an only child comes with it’s own set of problems. Over-protection being one of the major ones. Doing so much for the child they end up feeling they can’t do anything for themselves comes to mind. We’ve come to realize it’s almost the flip side of the coin when it comes to child abuse — though unintentional. I wouldn’t wish being an only for any child. I would want them to grow up with at least one sibling to bond with. Learning to share is such a big part of socializing. (Even with all the family squabbling that may go along with that — especially LATER in life!)
As I read back through what I wrote, it sounds kind of lame in this day and age when families are becoming smaller (even in Utah!) due to financial strains and busy lives. But I stand by my belief nonetheless! Being an ONLY can be a hard way to grow up. (Yes. Before you yell at me, I KNOW there are ALWAYS exceptions to the rules… 🙂 )
`
Picture Credit:
Siblings Fighting over Hamburger — Image by © Anthony Redpath/Corbis / listovative.com
Impromptu Promptlings 
I was the baby of 3 so spoilt, I’m told 🙂 I do know some very unhappy adults who were the only child. And others who thrived. A very individual thing, I think.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, very true. I do think it’s interesting that onlies and different birth orders seem to have different characteristics. I’m an oldest. WAY to responsible!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’d take the burger and give the kid brussel sprouts…and liver.
LikeLiked by 1 person
And here I thought you were a purist! LOL (Btw, I’m trying to reblog your poem from today and it seems to be stuck in circle-going-around mode… I finally closed the window. I’ll try it again.)
LikeLike
Hm… Worked the second time. Yay!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was 5 when my younger brother was born. I think we got along pretty well most of the time, but he remains the only person I’ve ever hit in the face 😦
We had pretty separate worlds a lot of the time. I was 5 years older, but 7 years ahead of him in school. We were almost like two onlies.
My husband was an only and loved it. I had to talk him into having our second child. I think he would have benefitted from a sibling, but his mother had Rh-neg blood and at the time treatment wasn’t available for Rh+ babies born to Rh- mothers (this situation used to be fatal for 50% of Rh+ babies born to Rh- mothers, now it’s almost 100% treatable). She lost his potential sibling and they never had any more.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s an interesting bit of trivia about the Rh- stuff. Thanks for sharing that. (But my favorite part of your comment is: he remains the only person I’ve ever hit in the face… 😀 I know. Terrible, aren’t I?)
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is something I never thought of, which makes sense since I was the second child, not the first. I can give pros and cons for siblings LOL but I’m not at all sorry I had a brother – except when I’d go into the next grade and they’d look at my last name, and look at me and say, not another! He was a trouble maker. I, on the other hand, was an angel 😉
But you did great justice to the prompt! WELL DONE!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
All fixed! Feel better? 😀 ❤
LikeLike
I wish they had edit options, too… I wonder why they don’t.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The edit in comments is available to us only in our own blog, but none of those who comment can edit what they said. I am not sure why they didn’t think to include that in every blog. In the Gateworld forum, when we leave messages at other people’s profile page, we have the option to edit. It’s built into the platform.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I enjoyed this.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Really? I’m surprised given you and your sister’s history! But I’m glad you enjoyed it, Anna. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
For me it was imagining what it would have been like to have been the only child.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah, I think I would have been imagining that, too. I did at times, actually. Especially as I got older. That was thrown in there right along with the whole “I’m going to run away and join the circus, then they’ll be sorry they treated me that way!” thing. But the YOU had good reason. I was just a brat! 😉
LikeLike
Growing up, I wanted so desperately to be an only child. Have my own room, not have to share toys, clothes, friends, times….. Now I can’t imagine going through life without my sister. How boring my life would have been!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I know what you mean, Jess. I do think that having our own space — and not just growing up, but as we get older, too — is still normal and (dare I say it?) NECESSARY. It is possible to have both, though I never did. I always shared a room with my sister. (And hated it!!!)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I never did either. I shared a room with my sister from the age of 4 till I left home at the age of 21. Then I shared a room with a roommate. I didn’t have my “Own” space until I was 28 years old. Then I couldn’t handle it. I was so used to having someone there all the time. One of the biggest adjustments I ever had to make. Silly sounding I know, but it was hard.
LikeLike
Pingback: The Sandbox Writing Challenge 30 — Baby Gift! | Impromptu Promptlings