Has a lack of, or an abundance of, siblings affected your personality?

I am the eldest of three and can honestly say that my younger sister is the best possible friend I could have. We support each other when things are going badly and share in family celebrations. I wouldn't be without my siblings, especially as I get older and realise that 'blood is thicker than water.' Of course I realise that not all families are as lucky as we are. I recently read a thread about non contact between siblings and I thought that was sad.

I was in the middle for a long time. My elder brother was the first child and first boy grandchild so he was adored by all, I was a nuisance who happened along at the same time as mother caught TB causing her to spend a couple of years in a sanatorium in the depths of the countryside - my fault of course. My sister was born 10 years later and was a fragile little blond in sharp contrast to be the black haired galumping elephant that I was she became Poor * in my mothers eyes for ever. The 20 years after me came the bonus another son!! Deep joy- very very spoilt and turned out to be a complete wrong'un.

I was an only child without cousins or any other relatives my own age. I am independent, don't ask for help and find difficulty showing affection. After hearing of my husband's problems with siblings and reading about other posters problems I'm not sure I miss having them either.
Definitely gave me a tendency to selfishness which I try hard to curb.

When I was born, one of my two sisters was married and the other almost. My brother was older than both of them. So I might as well have been an only child. My father indulged me shamelessly and my mother considered me to be an inconvenience at a time when she thought she was getting her life back! I suppose she loved me in her own way but I spent more time at my sisters' houses than I did at my own, in the company of my nephews and nieces. I was never short of friends but always thought it would be nice to have a brother around my own age. Our only grandson is an only child and will remain so as DD made a decision not to have any more children. I respect her choice, but I feel for him. He has lots of friends but it's not the same thing as growing up with siblings. I've no idea whether it matters to him.

I am/was an only child (an orphan now my parents are gone). I always wanted siblings and feel I might have had more confidence and been better at communicating when I was younger. My husband is the middle child and has nothing in common with his older brother but is very close to his younger sister and I look on her as the sister I never had. They often reminisce about their childhoods and it makes me a little sad that i have no one who knew me then. However I am very independent and also won't ask for help unless there's no choice.

I'm an only too. I'm fiercely independent and quite tough in some ways. I won't ask for help either, but I'm always being asked to help others. I don't mind. I hate to think people are thinking of me as needy.

The downside for me was having to deal with relatives' deaths on my own whilst having a very young child in tow. I regretted it then, I think.

DD is also an only and I'm terrified of being a burden on her.

I am eldest of five, had two homes , one with parents and siblings, three sisters, one brother. Abother home with Grandfather, uncle , aunt and cousin, so had best of both worlds, have a great friendship with my siblings and adored my cousin , he died three years ago and I still feel lost without him, he was my brother-cousin , so had two sets of parents and five siblings

I have a younger sister (5 years younger) and always wished that I was an only child as whatever I did, wherever I went I was forced to take her along. I remember one particular time when I was invited for a sleepover at my friends house. Sh lived close to some old disused railway lines and we loved to play there (she was allowed, I wasn't). I was so excited about the sleepover and the potential of a great game on the railway lines, then at the last minute my mum changed her mind and said I could only go if I took my little sister along, which I really did not want to do. (looking back my mum had a bit of a cheek expecting my friends mum to take my little sister too) It was a case of either take my sister knowing she would cramp my style and "tell" about playing on the railway lines or not go at all.

I am the fourth of five and am the third girl sandwiched between my two brothers. One is 7 older than me and one is 7 years younger. The two eldest, girls, were 12 and 10 when I was born so always seemed like adults to me as I grew up.

I hated having their hand-me-downs, which my thrifty Mum had saved. I was a real second-hand rose! I longed to be an only one, like my best friend, who was the apple of her parents' eyes - I was certainly never that! I think they had got tired of children by the time I was born!

I was the middle of three children and would happily have been an only child. The age gap with my siblings was enough for us to have nothing in common. I left home on the eve of my 18th birthday and got my own room in the nurses' home.
DH is the second of four and also left home for a time to get some peace and quiet. We married as soon as we qualified.

Gilly, that was not fair of your Mum, I was never expected to drag my siblings along

I know Anniebach and a 5 year age gap is quite significant when I was 13 and she was 8 . Never mind. We learn from these experiences don't we? I would have never expected my son to take his little sister along with him and they have the same 5 year age gap. Best of friends, always have been but allowed to have their own space.

Having said that my sister was always very clingy. She wouldn't sleep in her own bed and insisted in getting into mine which I hated. I think my mum just wanted a quiet life.

I know how you feel gilly, my younger sister was more than ten years younger than me and I had to take her everywhere I went, even if I was going to a friend's house. Having boyfriend over was a nightmare, she was six when I started seeing DH and followed us around like a puppy dog. I went from childminder to mother without a break and it did the shine off my first baby.

Take the shine off.

I m an only child, I hated it didn't have any cousins my age and felt I had a fairly lonely childhood with not a lot of confidence I would have loved the fun of giggling or playing with siblings l too am independent and a bit stubborn I try never to ask anything of anybody And think I carried some of my loneliness through to adulthood

I am the elder sister. My sister just eighteen months younger. I always felt I had to prove myself especially to my mother. First to go to Grammar school, first to Uni. I like lots of time on my own and don't suffer fools gladly. Since my mother died my sister and I have become much closer and I now really enjoy her company. But then she is very similar to me

I have a older sister who has caused me and my late parents problems throughout my life. She lives abroad but visits me once a year, which I dread. However I give her a good time as life has not been good to her and I have had a much easier life. I would have been far happier as an only child. Ironically if she dies first I suspect I will shed a tear or two.

I have a step-brother and a step-sister who have given my more joy than my blood sister. They are the children of my father's partner and are no blood relations though we regard each other as siblings, even though all parents are now dead.

I'm the third of four, having a half sister and bro, 8yrs and 5yrs older. Their mother died when they were tiny. I have a brother 2yrs younger. I don't see much of any of them as we live so far away. My younger brother keeps himself apart from us all, I haven't seen him for years and years, maybe 2002. He was my mum's favourite. He doesn't have a partner or children.

My older bro I see now and then but he doesn't keep in touch and after years of trying, I can't bothered anymore myself. I always did and still do adore my sister. She has been quite ill in recent years and that fills me with fear. I am in contact with her children and their families, which is lovely.

My parents were only children, so I had no aunts or uncles and just one grandparent who lived with us. I think I felt quite lost amongst so many of us, though, and the competing demands on my mother's attention.

Oddly enough I was talking today to a friend who is an only child, married to a chap who is also an only. She said their upbringings were chalk and cheese even though they lived in the same town. Her parents made their house a home and welcomed any-and-everyone into it, it was always filled with people and busyness so she didn't feel lonely. Her dh's parents were the polar opposite. No one stepped over their threshold without very good reason and he was never allowed to bring friends home or anything. In consequence he had a lonely childhood.

I'm the eldest of 4, which was very good when our parents were in their final illnesses, as we could share the load, and, when it became necessary, the decisions. We don't see much of each other as we live quite far apart, but my siblings are still special people to me.

I have just the one brother who barely spoke to me growing up. So I felt like an only child. We are on better terms as adults and shared care for mum in her last few years. I don't have any affection for him and wouldn't even call him a friend but we have done favours for each other. I'm so greatful for having found H. Without him and my children life would be very lonely.
I really envy my friend and her close relationship with her brother and sister. The three families spend a lot of time together including holidays. I would love that.

I'm an "only" who desperately longed for siblings when I was a child my cousins were all much older and didn't live locally. When I hear friends talking about their siblings I sometimes feel wistful, but at the same time am aware that it's not always the idyllic scenario I imagine. I was painfully shy as a little girl and often felt lonely so I'm sure that contributed to me having 5! As others have said I'm inclined to be independent and hate admitting I need anything, though thankfully am much less shy and more socially able these days.

I have one sister, much younger than me.
But what I miss is brothers. My family, back one generation, has been female - dominated, and my big mistakes in life have been due to the fact that I don't understand males! Thought they were just like us, just cut their hair short.
Strangely, both my sister and I had 2 boys. Then I had a girl.

I am an only child and can relate to a lot of the things others have said. Although I enjoy the company of friends I am quite happy to do things on my own if necessary. My DH is from a family of four but isn't in touch with any of them so a big family isn't always an advantage. I do envy people who talk of their sister being their best friend but I know at least three women whose sisters are the bain of their lives, so you never know how things would have turned out.
I know when my mother developed dementia it was actually a relief to deal with things in the way I thought best. I have seen friends familys torn apart over disagreements about care homes etc