Middle Children May Grow Up to Be More Creative and Independent

Middle children might get the short end of the stick compared to their overnurtured older siblings and the doted on younger kids, but a new book says that's actually an advantage. The authors of Secret Power of Middle Children: How Middleborns Can Harness Their Unexpected and Remarkable Abilities, out earlier this month, say the popular conception of the middle child is all wrong; perhaps that's why they used a different term altogether — "middleborn."

The authors, psychologist Catherine Salmon and journalist Katrin Schumann, point out that middle children are more likely to become leaders in business and politics. Schumann says getting less attention from parents makes middle children more creative: "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."

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