In China, no siblings

In watching the Olympics this past week, it occurred to me that very likely none of the talented Chinese athletes we watched had brothers or sisters. Or one brother, or one sister.

So, when we watched 2008 drummers working in perfect synchronization, we were looking at 2008 people who have no idea what it’s like to say “Mom, he’s looking at me funny,” and watch the mother turn around to see an angelic-looking sibling pretending disinterest, and to hear her threaten, “if you don’t stop whining, I’ll give you something to whine about…”

Which is, I believe, the age-old and international threat of Parenting 101.

Imagine a world without siblings. What does that do to one’s perspective? Does the child grow up feeling like he or she is the sun about which all of the adults revolve? Do siblingesque relationships flourish within the neighborhoods? Is there an especial loneliness?

I know several people my own age who grew up without siblings. They’re not “spoiled” by any means, but their perspective is often different from my own or my husband’s, we each having 4 sibs.

Just a random thought, something to muse on a bit…

I don’t know that their perspective is particularly “better” or “worse” than ours. It is simply different, differently oriented. But curiously, all of the people I know who grew up without siblings have at least three children.

That little girl who did not get to sing at the opening because she was deemed “too unattractive” to bring pride to China – I wonder how she felt about that. I wonder if having a sibling to share that news with would have helped her or hurt her further? Perhaps an older sibling who had always made fun of her looks by crossing eyes, sticking fingers in the mouth and sticking out the tongue would have compounded the hurt by saying, “told you that you were ugly!”

Or maybe the sibling would have taken great umbrage on her behalf, furious that anyone but he or she dare denigrate her looks. After all, siblings may tease, but usually they won’t stand for anyone else dissing a sister. A sibling may have said, “pay no attention to those idiots – if you weren’t pretty, I wouldn’t tease you so.”

Or something. A sibling may have consoled her a bit by being furious on her behalf.

Interesting.

I’m out of town, taking Buster back to college, so regrefully, comments will be held in the moderation queue until Monday.