I love being an only child. Every time someone finds out I am an only child, their response is typically, “Oh, that sounds lonely. I’m so sorry! Did you like it when you were growing up?” They ask me if I like being an only child, but I can always tell they have a preconceived notion as to what my response will be. Being an only child is all I know when it comes to family dynamics. It would do me, not to mention my parents, an injustice to sit there and despise my upbringing. So, yes, in response to your question, I do in fact like being an only child. At times it was boring, but I found ways to entertain myself at a young age, which is a skill some adults don’t even have. I have spent nearly 22 years journeying through only childhood, so I feel as if I have a plethora of knowledge on the topic. Here are a few of the “only childisms” I have noticed about myself and other only children I know.

You're a professional at talking to yourself.

Only children are masters at talking to themselves. Remember that so-called “boring” childhood people assume only children have? Yeah, well, joke’s on you because talking to ourselves is just as entertaining as talking to you.

You have top notch interpersonal skills with adults.

Much of an only child’s life is spent interacting with adults. When adults are around, it’s not as if you can go talk to your brother or sister instead, so you are forced to talk to the adults. Part of this has to do with how parents teach their only child to interact with adults. My parents always held me to a high standard of respecting and interacting with adults, so I guess you could say I am somewhat of a master when it comes to talking to parents, due to being an only child and the way my parents raised me.

When it’s time to go to bed, you get to bed asap.

This is something I have noticed about myself and many other only children. We are used to being able to go to sleep as soon as we are ready because we only children have always had our own room and the ability to have the entire family schedule revolving around our life.

You automatically feel close to other only children.

When I find out someone is an only child, I immediately feel closer to them. It doesn’t matter if we have nothing else in common. Knowing someone else is an only child is always a source of comfort. This feeling even transfers to fictional characters who are only children (Rory Gilmore, this one is for you).

Your dogs are your sisters.

Or cats or birds or lizards. Pretty much anything you could remotely count as a sibling becomes a sibling in your mind. Family photos with the pets are a staple in an only child household.

You are often perceived as a "clingy" friend.

Friends, much like pets, become like an extended part of the family to only children. We long for deep friendships because we have extra love to give that is not being used with siblings. So, no, we are not clingy. If you find yourself being friends with an only child, you should consider yourself lucky. They will probably be some of the best, most committed friends you ever have.

Your parents are a little too obsessed with you.

To a parent of an only child, that child is their world. Only children are used to being the favorite (excluding the dogs because the dogs would win every time) because we are the only ones! But, with great favoritism comes great responsibility and all of the blame. All of the parent's attention is on the only child throughout their entire lives. When an only child asks their parent why they never had any other children, the classic response (at least in my experience) is: "You were just so perfect we didn't need to have another!" To this day, I am still not sure if my parents were being serious or facetious.

Stubborn and not willing to admit it? No, definitely not me!

I will be the first to admit that I am stubborn. Only children are used to being right and not having to argue with anyone about how they are right because there was no one to argue with. When you grow up always thinking you are right, it naturally makes you stubborn. This is often thought of as a negative trait, but you better believe that when an only child is right and they absolutely know they are right, they will put up a fight until the opposing side believes them. Only children could solve some of the world’s biggest problems if people would stop labeling them as stubborn and give them a chance to speak up!

You're I-N-D-E-P-E-N-D-E-N-T.

Last but certainly not least, only children are some of the most independent people you will ever meet. Ultimately, we are used to going through life in an independent manner. Going to get coffee by yourself? Eating lunch between classes alone? Shopping without an acquaintance? All of these are things that an only child does, and is used to doing, on a regular basis. Only children do not mind being alone because when you are alone, you get to do what you want, when you want, and how you want to do it, without anyone to disagree. For example, I have seriously considered going to Disney World by myself many times. To me, it sounds like heaven. (I am still considering going through with this.)

Only children are the few, the proud and the misunderstood. The traits listed above only scratch the surface of what only children have to offer. Find an only child and get to know them because I am certain they would love to get to know you!