Lone child not always lonely

Children need to learn from early stage about role of sharing, says Helen O’Callaghan

AN only child is not necessarily a lonely child, says Aine Costello, project worker in family support with Barnardos.

“Some children, depending on temperament, may be very comfortable in their own space,” she says. Parents of only children worry that other parents will perceive their child as ‘spoilt’ and may “over-compensate to the point of being harsh” to the child.