You love your siblings to death, but we totally get it — the middle child struggle is real. We gathered 7 of our most popular stories that explore what it's like to be a middle child, ranging from personal blog posts to expert interviews.
... [M]iddles are also a bit lost. But we’re not a lost cause. For us, personal growth and discovering who we are is just as important as finding a stable career path and surrounding ourselves with the right friends.
Being the middle child is awesome. Sure, we get the worst of the worst hand-me-downs, and sometimes our siblings gang up on us and we’re forced to entertain ourselves, but we are our own best friends, and the ones who will change the world.
I’m jealous of a dog.
There, I said it and I mean it. I know what you’re thinking too— you are one pathetic human being. When it comes to attention, it’s a constant need of mine. I must always be in the limelight or else I feel shitty.
Middle kids are easy-going. Middle children know how to go with the flow and understand that, in life, special treatment doesn’t always come your way. Sometimes I think my middle son is indecisive, but recently I’ve come to realize that he’s really just flexible. Perfect for the real world.
My middle child was on a rant. “No one likes the middle, Mom. It’s a fact. No one ever calls the middle seat, especially on the Scrambler. No one wants a middle piece of cake. They want side pieces, the ones with all the frosting. Even you said you don’t like the middle, because it’s where the gray hair grows outta your head.”
Then he said, “And come on, the middle finger is the bad one, right? There’s no way that’s a coincidence. As a middle child, I’m doomed to a life of medium-ness.”
5. The Achiever, The Peacemaker And The Life Of The Party: How Birth Order Affects Personality
If you are a middle child, you are probably understanding, cooperative and flexible, yet competitive. You are concerned with fairness. In fact, as a middle child, you are likely to pick an intimate circle of friends to represent your extended family. It is here that you will find the attention likely lacking in your family of origin. As a middle child, you receive the least amount of attention from family and as a result, this family of your choice is your compensation.
As a middle child, you’re in very good company with notable U.S. presidents and celebrities such as Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, Winston Churchill, Bill Gates, Donald Trump and Steve Forbes. Though often a late bloomer, you find yourself in power careers that allows you to use your negotiating skills... and get that all too-needed attention.
6. Middle Children May Grow Up to Be More Creative and Independent
“There are some hidden benefits to not focusing so much attention and concern and effort, and putting so much pressure on each child. And that is one of the hidden benefits that middle children get because they do have this sense of independence and they think outside the box a little bit more,” journalist Katrin Schumann says.
There is nothing wrong with being a middle child. It’s the center of things. And that’s usually where he is in most situations, right in the center. If his older brother is having an argument, he’ll interject himself into it. If his younger brother is vying for another snack, he’ll point out why I should give him one. If there’s a playdate somewhere, he needs to be on it.
He’s the only one of my children to really put himself out there and take chances. He’s the bold one; the one who will try things (well, except food, but that’s a whole different topic), the one who speaks his mind; who isn’t afraid of mistakes. He’s super stubborn, independent, responsible, a skillful manipulator, sensitive and full of fire.
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