Perhaps one of the most important parts of my experience being an only child is my family. As an only child, my immediate family is relatively small, consisting of my parents but also cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents who don’t live nearby. Therefore, the relationship that I have with my parents is very strong. This fact aligns with scientific research on only children, as researchers have found that parent-child relationships among only children are of higher quality than in those with siblings. (Liu & Jiang, 2021). However, the relationships I have maintained with cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents have also had a profound impact on me. One of my fondest experiences relating to my family is my trips to the beach every summer. When I was younger, the annual beach trips with my parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins were the highlight of my summer. Boogie boarding on breezy beach days with my dad and cousin were some of the most fun experiences of my childhood. Memories of the family dinners at a restaurant called Bubba’s also resonate deeply with me. Eating fried calamari at the packed restaurant after a long day on the beach was one of the happiest times of my childhood.
Additionally, the summer trips to visit my grandparents in Buffalo, New York resonate with me. I can recall being greeted warmly at the airport by my grandfather and grandmother. Staying at their house, meeting my aunt to play putt-putt golf, and getting ice cream led to a positive view of Buffalo. These experiences made Buffalo feel like a second home to me. In turn, this led to a deep connection with the family that lived there. Overall, my experiences with my family led to deep connections that gave me happiness and a sense of belonging and security in my life, something that stereotypes say only children often lack.