Enigma: The Only Child Syndrome

More often than not, when we find out that someone is an only child we quickly surmise that the person has been spoiled-rotten by his or her parent (s); thereby, having a reputation of being selfish and bratty. G. Stanley Hall was one of the first experts to give an only child a bad reputation when he referred to their situation as "a disease in itself" Being spoiled can be interpreted in varying ways. One might say that it simply means that they are well taken care of. Yet others may argue that its meaning is derived from a parent (s) over-showering their child with monetary riches; all the while, failing to instill other core values that will enrich their child's personality and character. Being a parent is undoubtedly one of the toughest tasks on earth. Nevertheless, a parent's flagrant-foul on the parenting field can be extremely damaging and detrimental to their child's emotional well-being. Good children can make bad parents, just as bad parents can make good children. For Crystal, things just got real!