only-child syndrome really is a sad thing. it should be classified as a nurture-induced social disfunction. i really think that most kids who grow up as only children have difficulty adjusting to social situations. think about it: if you grow up with other children in the family, you're constantly jockeying for attention, negotiating situations so that the results are fair for everyone, taking other people's reactions and feelings into account, and so forth. while you may have a love-hate relationship with parents or siblings during your childhood (and yes, most kids do), you're still learning how to interact with people on a level that prepares you for life. if a child does not have that stimulation in early development stages, he or she inevitably has more difficulty negotiating interpersonal situations. more than a few times, i have witnessed only-children who believe that they should be the sole focus of someone's attention. often, the only child does not realize that the other involved parties may be affected (or afflicted, as the case may be) by the situation. the only child is only focused on his or her own emotional trauma, investment, etc.

should i ever have kids, and i presume i will, i will have at least two. no child should be an only child, if only for the sake of the people they encounter later in life. and hey, for my own sanity, too. (because it *is* all about me, you know. ;))

i've decided that the girl scouts are like the mob. once you've been involved, you can never get away from it. not that i mind, it's a great organization that has contributed immensely to my development, but i always seem to get roped back into it. this weekend, i'll be helping with the lead-the-way conference, which is a leadership conference for about 200 high school girls from all over california. i was in charge of the event my senior year in high school, and spent several years on the planning committee. this year, i'm an adult chaperone (an adult, you say?). it'll be a fun event, but man, i can never get out.