Every only child out there knows the feeling. All your friends think you grew up lucky and somewhat spoiled. Some people think it explains certain things about you, while others find it shocking and have no idea how you managed.
I never put much thought into it before, but now that I think about it, my family dynamic is a bit different. My mom is a single mom and my grandparents have always lived with us. Oh, and I’m an only child.
I always wanted siblings, and my friends always offered me theirs since they didn’t want them. I always thought I missed out on a typically “normal” family experience. There’s no one out there who’s had the exact same upbringing as me. There’s no one I can share my exact family experiences with. Yes, I had a bunch of close friends, but that’s just a tad bit different.
I realize now that my not having siblings honestly wasn’t such a terrible thing. No, I wasn’t lucky because I didn’t have any younger siblings to care for or older siblings who bullied me. And no, I was in no way spoiled (believe me). But I realize now, I probably wouldn’t be as close to my family as I am now if I had siblings growing up. My mom and I are incredibly close. Growing up, and even now, there were times where she was much like a sister to me since my grandparents also live with us. There were times where she was my best friend and I was her (even though I didn’t necessary always tell her everything). And that’s another thing: I’m incredibly close to my grandparents. I’ve lived with them my whole life and I can’t imagine a life without them. It wasn’t always ideal and full of hearts and flowers, but nonetheless, I guess I am lucky. I have a pretty awesome family, and I love it just the way it is.