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Lauren Sandler, an only child herself and the mother of a probably only, decided to look into the stereotypes about only children: that they are selfish, self-absorbed, and socially inept. What she found, detailed in her book One and Only: The Freedom of Having an Only Child, and the Joy of Being One, may surprise you: these myths about only children are not based on actual fact and were disproved decades ago by any number of studies. In general, only children are smart, compassionate, and relate well to others. So why do these myths hang on, and is popular wisdom right that it's better to have siblings? Sandler looks at the question of onlies from every angle, starting from the concerns of the individual family and expanding to the national and global impact of recent reproductive trends.
Predictably, Sandler comes down in favor of the only (and the liberal mindset that often leads parents to choose having only one); her language describing the conservative and religious views that are often behind larger families is unnecessarily harsh (I started out planning to lend this book to my Catholic friend, but now I'm thinking I'll just photocopy a chapter or two). But I'm still glad I purchased and read this book, and I think Sandler's points are valid and her argument valuable.
Predictably, Sandler comes down in favor of the only (and the liberal mindset that often leads parents to choose having only one); her language describing the conservative and religious views that are often behind larger families is unnecessarily harsh (I started out planning to lend this book to my Catholic friend, but now I'm thinking I'll just photocopy a chapter or two). But I'm still glad I purchased and read this book, and I think Sandler's points are valid and her argument valuable.
