Only children have been stereotyped as spoiled, selfish, and socially inept for over a century. But research shows these beliefs are nonsense. Only children face NO significant personality differences from kids with siblings, except stronger parent-child bonds. What they DO face: concentrated expectations, intense parental focus, and unique developmental considerations that look different for daughters vs sons in ways research has completely ignored. Here's what parents need to know about raising only children, what the science actually shows, and the massive gender research gap no one's talking about.