Only Children: Lonely And Selfish?

There are long held stereotypes that children who grow up without siblings are selfish, lonely and spoiled — and they stay that way their entire lives. It is a stereotype that has existed for decades, penetrated many generations and has not only held in America but in other countries as well.

Lauren Sandler looked at the stereotypes and researched the experiences of only children while writing her book, “One and Only: The Freedom of Having Only One Child and the Joy of Being One.” Throughout her research she came across the belief held by many that you are a bad person if you are an only child and you are a bad person if you choose to have only one child. But what does that look like inside the family? Sandler tells Jeannie Yandel about what it really means to be an only child.