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Only-Child Syndrome

173 statements
32 feature instances
25 referencing feature instances

Only-Child Syndrome	type	FeatureClass
Only-Child Syndrome	label	Only-Child Syndrome
Only-Child Syndrome	page	OnlyChildSyndrome
Only-Child Syndrome	comment	Only children are often seen as having the best of both worlds. Not only do they get all of their parents' attention and love, they also don't have annoying younger siblings to take care of or bossy older siblings to listen to. However, this isn't always the case. Just like middle children, only children have their own complexities and stereotypes. In fiction, only children are often portrayed as never having to compete with anyone else for parental attention or never having learned to live or communicate (in the worst cases) with others their age. They may also be spoiled by their parents. As such, only children are often portrayed as haughty, self-absorbed, or lonely, although this trope covers any behavior that the narrative ascribes to being an only child. All this is in spite of the fact that it has been repeatedly shown in scientific studies that there is no measurable difference in the personalities of only children compared to those with siblings (at least not most of the time — there are a lot of perfectionists in the only child world). Only children also tend to mature faster. See also Siblings Wanted, when an only child wants siblings. Compare and contrast Middle Child Syndrome. Compare Infant Sibling Jealousy, where the former only child now has to compete with the baby for attention.
Only-Child Syndrome	fetched	2024-04-12T00:16:59Z
Only-Child Syndrome	parsed	2024-04-12T00:16:59Z
Only-Child Syndrome	processingComment	Dropped link to Arcanum: Not an Item - UNKNOWN
Only-Child Syndrome	processingComment	Dropped link to Oceans8: Not an Item - UNKNOWN
Only-Child Syndrome	processingComment	Dropped link to Rugrats1991: Not an Item - UNKNOWN
Only-Child Syndrome	processingUnknown	Oceans8
Only-Child Syndrome	processingUnknown	Arcanum
Only-Child Syndrome	processingUnknown	Rugrats1991
Only-Child Syndrome	isPartOf	DBTropes
Only-Child Syndrome / int_11e3f224	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Only-Child Syndrome / int_11e3f224	comment	This is discussed in an interesting way in Everybody Hates Chris. Chris is jealous of Greg when he comes to stay with them because he's an only child and he expects all of the attention and does everything by himself, whereas Chris usually has to take care of his younger siblings. Near the end of the episode, Chris confronts Greg, and Greg says that the reason why he does everything by himself is not that he wants to, but because he has to, being an only child.
Only-Child Syndrome / int_11e3f224	featureApplicability	1.0
Only-Child Syndrome / int_11e3f224	featureConfidence	1.0
Everybody Hates Chris	hasFeature	Only-Child Syndrome / int_11e3f224
Only-Child Syndrome / int_1db7c20b	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Only-Child Syndrome / int_1db7c20b	comment	Girls5eva: Scott and Dawn's plan to have a second son is hampered by Dawn's desire to have a invokedCareer Resurrection, and Scott worries that their son Max will be "weird" without siblings. Other characters reassure her that Max will be fine; he'll just grow up to be an Adorably Precocious Child.
Only-Child Syndrome / int_1db7c20b	featureApplicability	1.0
Only-Child Syndrome / int_1db7c20b	featureConfidence	1.0
Girls5eva	hasFeature	Only-Child Syndrome / int_1db7c20b
Only-Child Syndrome / int_1efabd00	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Only-Child Syndrome / int_1efabd00	comment	What Maisie Knew: Maisie's parents arguing doesn't help her socially as she has no siblings to either converse or interact with and is forced to overhear what her mom and dad say.
Only-Child Syndrome / int_1efabd00	featureApplicability	1.0
Only-Child Syndrome / int_1efabd00	featureConfidence	1.0
What Maisie Knew	hasFeature	Only-Child Syndrome / int_1efabd00
Only-Child Syndrome / int_227431b6	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Only-Child Syndrome / int_227431b6	comment	Runaways: A major reason why the Runaways are so dysfunctional is because they are an entire team of only children who were forced to become a single family unit when their various families died, and thus they all carry different neuroses that clash with each other.
Only-Child Syndrome / int_227431b6	featureApplicability	1.0
Only-Child Syndrome / int_227431b6	featureConfidence	1.0
Runaways (Comic Book)	hasFeature	Only-Child Syndrome / int_227431b6
Only-Child Syndrome / int_23ad2480	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Only-Child Syndrome / int_23ad2480	comment	Jokingly lampshaded by John in Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2024) after Jane points out that he always goes back to his own bed after sex.
Only-Child Syndrome / int_23ad2480	featureApplicability	1.0
Only-Child Syndrome / int_23ad2480	featureConfidence	1.0
Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2024)	hasFeature	Only-Child Syndrome / int_23ad2480
Only-Child Syndrome / int_32318e9a	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Only-Child Syndrome / int_32318e9a	comment	Roseanne: DJ spends increasing amounts of time with his cousin Andy, much to Fred and Jackie's increasing annoyance, until he explains why. Just about everyone else in the cast had a brother or sister to grow up with, so DJ acts like a brother to Andy so he can know what it's like instead of being alone.
Only-Child Syndrome / int_32318e9a	featureApplicability	1.0
Only-Child Syndrome / int_32318e9a	featureConfidence	1.0
Roseanne	hasFeature	Only-Child Syndrome / int_32318e9a
Only-Child Syndrome / int_35dc17db	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Only-Child Syndrome / int_35dc17db	comment	In You Don't Own Me, the murder victim Martin Bell was his parents' only child, born unexpectedly when they were in their early forties and had given up hope of having children. As such, Cynthia and Robert regarded Martin as their "miracle child" and doted upon him. Unfortunately, it's implied their indulgence and belief he could do no wrong blinded them to Martin's flaws and swelled his ego to an unhealthy degree.
Only-Child Syndrome / int_35dc17db	featureApplicability	1.0
Only-Child Syndrome / int_35dc17db	featureConfidence	1.0
You Don't Own Me	hasFeature	Only-Child Syndrome / int_35dc17db
Only-Child Syndrome / int_3b34143f	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Only-Child Syndrome / int_3b34143f	comment	In Harry Potter, Word of God suggests that James (the title character's father) owed his flippant and at times arrogant personality to being an only child, specifically one born late in the lives of rich parents. It's worth noting that Draco Malfoy and Dudley have similar backgrounds.
Only-Child Syndrome / int_3b34143f	featureApplicability	1.0
Only-Child Syndrome / int_3b34143f	featureConfidence	1.0
Harry Potter	hasFeature	Only-Child Syndrome / int_3b34143f
Only-Child Syndrome / int_468bebb0	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Only-Child Syndrome / int_468bebb0	comment	The Discworld of A.A. Pessimal sees two only daughters, each born to Grand Ducal families in what is left of the Discworld's Russia after its version of Soviet Collapse. Olga Romanoff and Natasha Romanoff are cousins. If they agree on one thing, it is that as only children they were deprived of a chance to fight The Glorious War of Sisterly Rivalry with an actual sibling. Therefore they have no choice other than to fight at one step removed, as cousins.
Only-Child Syndrome / int_468bebb0	featureApplicability	1.0
Only-Child Syndrome / int_468bebb0	featureConfidence	1.0
Discworld	hasFeature	Only-Child Syndrome / int_468bebb0
Only-Child Syndrome / int_46a4b34d	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Only-Child Syndrome / int_46a4b34d	comment	The Elenium takes a humorous twist to the "never had to compete" bit mentioned in the trope description. Patriarch Bergsten is big and impressive note Sparhawk decides he'd really rather not fight Bergsten, thanks anyway because he was an only child and didn't have to worry about sharing food with other siblings.
Only-Child Syndrome / int_46a4b34d	featureApplicability	1.0
Only-Child Syndrome / int_46a4b34d	featureConfidence	1.0
The Elenium	hasFeature	Only-Child Syndrome / int_46a4b34d
Only-Child Syndrome / int_4da7528e	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Only-Child Syndrome / int_4da7528e	comment	In The Berenstain Bears and the Trouble with Friends, Sister Bear befriends Lizzy Bruin, an only cub who means well but tends to to be "bossy and braggy." Her friendship with Sister helps her learn to share and compromise. Later in the series, however, she was retconned to have an older brother, Barry Bruin.
Only-Child Syndrome / int_4da7528e	featureApplicability	1.0
Only-Child Syndrome / int_4da7528e	featureConfidence	1.0
The Berenstain Bears	hasFeature	Only-Child Syndrome / int_4da7528e
Only-Child Syndrome / int_59fb8a3b	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Only-Child Syndrome / int_59fb8a3b	comment	The Young Ones: In "Nasty", Vyvyan scoffs at Rick's claim of having a sister, pointing out that the arrogant, self-centered student is "the classic example of an only child".
Only-Child Syndrome / int_59fb8a3b	featureApplicability	1.0
Only-Child Syndrome / int_59fb8a3b	featureConfidence	1.0
The Young Ones	hasFeature	Only-Child Syndrome / int_59fb8a3b
Only-Child Syndrome / int_5a3dae52	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Only-Child Syndrome / int_5a3dae52	comment	Misfits: Nathan fits the self-centered Attention Whore stereotype to a T — he lampshades it when he's asked if he has any siblings and responds "Have you met me? Classic only child." Although it turns out he has a half-brother he never knew about.
Only-Child Syndrome / int_5a3dae52	featureApplicability	1.0
Only-Child Syndrome / int_5a3dae52	featureConfidence	1.0
Misfits	hasFeature	Only-Child Syndrome / int_5a3dae52
Only-Child Syndrome / int_6c5f180f	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Only-Child Syndrome / int_6c5f180f	comment	Discussed in Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon; Bulma and Videl have a conversation about Trunks' new attachment to Tapion. Bulma explains that Trunks' has always been jealous of Goten for having Gohan as a cool Big Brother Mentor, and that Tapion somewhat fills that void for him. Videl also confides that she's felt a similar way, being an only child herself.
Only-Child Syndrome / int_6c5f180f	featureApplicability	1.0
Only-Child Syndrome / int_6c5f180f	featureConfidence	1.0
Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon	hasFeature	Only-Child Syndrome / int_6c5f180f
Only-Child Syndrome / int_820b56de	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Only-Child Syndrome / int_820b56de	comment	In Son of a Critch, Ritchie Perez is the only one in his friend group who is an only child, and consequently, he had a Friendless Background before Mark and Fox decided to reach out to him.
Only-Child Syndrome / int_820b56de	featureApplicability	1.0
Only-Child Syndrome / int_820b56de	featureConfidence	1.0
Son of a Critch	hasFeature	Only-Child Syndrome / int_820b56de
Only-Child Syndrome / int_887acd55	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Only-Child Syndrome / int_887acd55	comment	New Girl: Schmidt's mother micromanaged the hell out of his childhood since he was her only son and now he's a micromanager himself. By contrast, his roommates all have siblings and are not nearly as uppity.
Only-Child Syndrome / int_887acd55	featureApplicability	1.0
Only-Child Syndrome / int_887acd55	featureConfidence	1.0
New Girl	hasFeature	Only-Child Syndrome / int_887acd55
Only-Child Syndrome / int_8e09ebf	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Only-Child Syndrome / int_8e09ebf	comment	Power Rangers Ninja Storm: In "Down and Dirty", seeing Hunter and Blake constantly arguing, Cam remarks he's glad he's an only child.
Only-Child Syndrome / int_8e09ebf	featureApplicability	1.0
Only-Child Syndrome / int_8e09ebf	featureConfidence	1.0
Power Rangers Ninja Storm	hasFeature	Only-Child Syndrome / int_8e09ebf
Only-Child Syndrome / int_8f36f969	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Only-Child Syndrome / int_8f36f969	comment	Clyde from The Loud House is an only child, and on a show focused on a family of 13, it shows. He's neurotic, overly cautious, and overly doted upon.
Only-Child Syndrome / int_8f36f969	featureApplicability	1.0
Only-Child Syndrome / int_8f36f969	featureConfidence	1.0
The Loud House	hasFeature	Only-Child Syndrome / int_8f36f969
Only-Child Syndrome / int_ac816dac	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Only-Child Syndrome / int_ac816dac	comment	Stuck in the Middle: Harley's best friend, Ellie, is an only child and also has a very overprotective mother.
Only-Child Syndrome / int_ac816dac	featureApplicability	1.0
Only-Child Syndrome / int_ac816dac	featureConfidence	1.0
Stuck in the Middle	hasFeature	Only-Child Syndrome / int_ac816dac
Only-Child Syndrome / int_ba44f5d5	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Only-Child Syndrome / int_ba44f5d5	comment	In Earth's Children, Broud is the only child Brun and Ebra ever had. As a result, they both doted on him (Ebra especially), and Brun invested a lot of time and energy trying to make Broud a good future leader, seeing as he was the only one of Brun's line who could inherit the position (Brun's brother Creb never had children, Iza had only daughters whom she trained as medicine women). Unfortunately, it's implied that Broud never having to share his parents' attention with siblings, his mother's overindulgence and his father's lofty expectations, all contributed to him becoming a selfish egotist who cares more about his own status than the needs of others.
Only-Child Syndrome / int_ba44f5d5	featureApplicability	1.0
Only-Child Syndrome / int_ba44f5d5	featureConfidence	1.0
Earth's Children	hasFeature	Only-Child Syndrome / int_ba44f5d5
Only-Child Syndrome / int_bacbccea	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Only-Child Syndrome / int_bacbccea	comment	The Swap: Ellie has no siblings shown in the movie, which is probably why her mom is so protective of her.
Only-Child Syndrome / int_bacbccea	featureApplicability	1.0
Only-Child Syndrome / int_bacbccea	featureConfidence	1.0
The Swap	hasFeature	Only-Child Syndrome / int_bacbccea
Only-Child Syndrome / int_c10dc0ac	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Only-Child Syndrome / int_c10dc0ac	comment	The Babysitters Club: Stacey is an only child, and it shows during the books where she and Mary Anne accompany the Pike family on their summer vacations to Sea City. It's very obvious that she's used to not having to show consideration for siblings, as she keeps prioritizing her own plans over Mary Anne's and even over minding the children. Incidentally, Mary Anne is also an only child (until her father marries Dawn's mother partway through the series), but averts the trope; the fact that she had only one parent and that parent was quite strict and is implied not to have been around as much due to a demanding work schedule is likely the reason for this.
Only-Child Syndrome / int_c10dc0ac	featureApplicability	1.0
Only-Child Syndrome / int_c10dc0ac	featureConfidence	1.0
The Baby-Sitters Club	hasFeature	Only-Child Syndrome / int_c10dc0ac
Only-Child Syndrome / int_c114d94c	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Only-Child Syndrome / int_c114d94c	comment	This Is Where I Leave You: Penny confesses that she can't really relate to the Altman's various hang-ups because she's an only child. Judd thinks that sounds wonderful.
Only-Child Syndrome / int_c114d94c	featureApplicability	1.0
Only-Child Syndrome / int_c114d94c	featureConfidence	1.0
This Is Where I Leave You	hasFeature	Only-Child Syndrome / int_c114d94c
Only-Child Syndrome / int_c4282b71	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Only-Child Syndrome / int_c4282b71	comment	My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic: Rainbow Dash can't bear being near her parents because they give her too much attention as their only daughter, as shown in "Parental Glideance". They are just proud of her accomplishments, but they can't stop bragging about her in public. In the season six episode, "Top Bolt", the Pegasus Vapor Trail was an only child whose parents piled attention on her, barely giving her a second to herself. Because of this, Vapor Trail developed an aversion to being in the spotlight, and was content with acting as the "wing pony" to her best friend Sky Stinger, who had many siblings.
Only-Child Syndrome / int_c4282b71	featureApplicability	-1.0
Only-Child Syndrome / int_c4282b71	featureConfidence	1.0
My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic	hasFeature	Only-Child Syndrome / int_c4282b71
Only-Child Syndrome / int_cc486a20	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Only-Child Syndrome / int_cc486a20	comment	Don't Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro: Senpai is the only child in his family, which may have been a factor that contributed to his isolation.
Only-Child Syndrome / int_cc486a20	featureApplicability	1.0
Only-Child Syndrome / int_cc486a20	featureConfidence	1.0
Don't Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro (Manga)	hasFeature	Only-Child Syndrome / int_cc486a20
Only-Child Syndrome / int_d9c602eb	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Only-Child Syndrome / int_d9c602eb	comment	South Park: Eric Cartman is the only one of the four main boys who's an only child. He's also a narcissistic Spoiled Brat because his mother never says "no" to him, who has no idea how to work with other people unless he gets to boss them around and can't believe that the world doesn't revolve around him. Additionally, while he's very emotionally immature, he often shows a desire to be seen as an adult, chastising his friends as immature in "Cartman Joins NAMBLA" and killing all his toys in a symbolic effort to grow up in "1%".
Only-Child Syndrome / int_d9c602eb	featureApplicability	1.0
Only-Child Syndrome / int_d9c602eb	featureConfidence	1.0
South Park	hasFeature	Only-Child Syndrome / int_d9c602eb
Only-Child Syndrome / int_df1e73ec	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Only-Child Syndrome / int_df1e73ec	comment	Ducktales 2017: Webby Vanderquack is the lonely version of this trope, as she was raised in the McDuck mansion with only her granny, Mrs. Beakley, for company, becoming obsessed over everything Scrooge McDuck. When Huey, Dewey, and Louie move in to the manor, she is ecstatic to finally have friends, but struggles sometimes to fit in with the triplets, since they grew up together, and with doing normal kid things, since her ex-spy granny raised her to be hyper-competent. Because of this, she cannot understand why the triplets would want to have an only child day where they do their own thing. Doofus Drake is the spoiled version to the extreme. When his rich grandmother left him her entire fortune, he became a despot, making his parents work for him like servants. It isn't until Louie makes B.O.Y.D. his brother that his parents find the guts to discipline Doofus.
Only-Child Syndrome / int_df1e73ec	featureApplicability	1.0
Only-Child Syndrome / int_df1e73ec	featureConfidence	1.0
DuckTales (2017)	hasFeature	Only-Child Syndrome / int_df1e73ec
Only-Child Syndrome / int_e807c447	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Only-Child Syndrome / int_e807c447	comment	Fiery Secrets: Grace is an only child and carries some stereotypical characteristics, such as being bossy and a perfectionist.
Only-Child Syndrome / int_e807c447	featureApplicability	1.0
Only-Child Syndrome / int_e807c447	featureConfidence	1.0
Fiery Secrets	hasFeature	Only-Child Syndrome / int_e807c447
Only-Child Syndrome / int_eef69f10	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Only-Child Syndrome / int_eef69f10	comment	Sherlock Holmes: "The Sussex Vampire" has a young boy deal very badly with the birth of his half-brother to the point of trying to murder him with a curare dart, even more so when the baby is perfectly healthy when the older one has a spinal injury.
Only-Child Syndrome / int_eef69f10	featureApplicability	1.0
Only-Child Syndrome / int_eef69f10	featureConfidence	1.0
Sherlock Holmes	hasFeature	Only-Child Syndrome / int_eef69f10
Only-Child Syndrome / int_ef076a36	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Only-Child Syndrome / int_ef076a36	comment	Harry Kim from Star Trek: Voyager is an only child, and he once talks about how much his parents spoiled him, calling him their "miracle child". He often wondered if he really deserved that much devotion.
Only-Child Syndrome / int_ef076a36	featureApplicability	1.0
Only-Child Syndrome / int_ef076a36	featureConfidence	1.0
Star Trek: Voyager	hasFeature	Only-Child Syndrome / int_ef076a36
Only-Child Syndrome / int_f2041376	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Only-Child Syndrome / int_f2041376	comment	Charmed (1998): Paige grew up as an only child and did not take well early on to moving in with her newly-discovered sisters and dedicating herself to becoming a Charmed One. She got used to it after her past life destroyed her loft.
Only-Child Syndrome / int_f2041376	featureApplicability	1.0
Only-Child Syndrome / int_f2041376	featureConfidence	1.0
Charmed (1998)	hasFeature	Only-Child Syndrome / int_f2041376
Only-Child Syndrome / int_fd97250	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Only-Child Syndrome / int_fd97250	comment	Adam: Beth tells her Dad that she must scare people off because of being an only child.
Only-Child Syndrome / int_fd97250	featureApplicability	1.0
Only-Child Syndrome / int_fd97250	featureConfidence	1.0
Adam (2009)	hasFeature	Only-Child Syndrome / int_fd97250

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

Only-Child Syndrome	processingCategory2	Index Syndrome
Only-Child Syndrome	processingCategory2	Psychology Tropes
Only-Child Syndrome	processingCategory2	Sibling Tropes
Runaways (Comic Book) / int_7d26e6dc	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Akatsuki Kitten: Phoenix Corporation Overhaul / Fan Fic / int_7d26e6dc	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Glee The New York Story (Fanfic) / int_7d26e6dc	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Adam (2009) / int_7d26e6dc	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Honor Thy Father / int_7d26e6dc	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Eight Cousins / int_7d26e6dc	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Intertwined II The Lost Spirits / int_7d26e6dc	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Literature Promise Of A Future	seeAlso	Only-Child Syndrome
Little House on the Prairie / int_7d26e6dc	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Nothing's Fair in Fifth Grade / int_7d26e6dc	type	Only-Child Syndrome
The Berenstain Bears / int_7d26e6dc	type	Only-Child Syndrome
What Maisie Knew / int_7d26e6dc	type	Only-Child Syndrome
NoondayJackals	seeAlso	Only-Child Syndrome
IZ*ONE (Music) / int_7d26e6dc	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Dawn of a New Age: Oldport Blues / Role Play / int_7d26e6dc	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Fellow Travelers / int_7d26e6dc	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Girls5eva / int_7d26e6dc	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Hou$e of Lie$ / int_7d26e6dc	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Ready or Not (1993) / int_7d26e6dc	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Roseanne / int_7d26e6dc	type	Only-Child Syndrome
The Young Ones / int_7d26e6dc	type	Only-Child Syndrome
Young Avengers (Comic Book) / int_7d26e6dc	type	Only-Child Syndrome

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