Does Being an Only Child Tend to Make a Child Spoiled?

A variety of controllable factors create a spoiled child. In fact, social psychologist Susan Newman states that society plays the greatest role in making a child spoiled, and only children are not predisposed to being spoiled. Your parenting style and decisions have a direct and long-lasting impact on your child's behavior and attitude. If you're noticing that your only child is acting spoiled, reevaluate your parenting style and make some changes to improve his attitude.

  1. Spoiling Stereotypes

    • Only children are often characterized as being spoiled -- after all, their parents' attention and resources are solely focused on them, so these children naturally get whatever they want. In reality, however, these stereotypes are inaccurate. Newman explains that all children possess inherent selfishness, a trait often associated with being spoiled, and only children aren't any more selfish than their peers with siblings. Even more, Newman explains that only children don't have to battle with siblings over toys, games or the television remote. Since they avoid such struggles at home, they often function calmly outside of the home, a trait that is certainly not associated with a spoiled child.

    Child-Rearing Reality

    • Only children might be raised differently or face different experiences than their friends with siblings, but how they are raised does not naturally lead to spoiling. Dr. Toni Falbo, an educational psychologist at the University of Texas, explains that parents of only children often set high expectations, encouraging their kids to excel academically, socially and athletically. Often, this high-achievement mindset is the focus of parents, not overindulgence. Encouraging only children to excel does not lead to a spoiled child.

    Spoiled Suspicions

    • When an only child shows signs of being spoiled, her status as an only is quickly blamed for her attitude. However, any child can be spoiled, no matter her sibling status. Spoiling begins with the parent. Providing too much to your child early on may set expectations too high. Inconsistently disciplining, overindulging and overprotecting your child may also lead to a me-first, spoiled mindset, according to WebMD. Halting these parental behaviors is key to stopping spoiling, whether you're the parent of an only or many.

    By the Numbers

    • Waiting longer to have children and the seemingly ever-increasing cost of raising children has led more couples to just have one. WebMD reports that 18 percent of families have just one child, up from 10 percent in 1976. Despite these increasing numbers of one-child households, schools and playgrounds are not suddenly overrun with spoiled kids. Spoiling starts at home and can occur when there is one, two or eight kids in the household.

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