There are thousands of essays and studies done on “Middle Child Syndrome” and the stereotype of the neglected second-born, “the forgotten one.” I was born two years after my older sister, and two years later, my mother had my second sister. I wouldn’t trade my birth order for anything in the world. I don’t have a “syndrome” or a complex, and I’m not “stuck” in the middle. I have two best friends who have no choice but to love me.
1. Middle children have a role model for how to be a role model. You get the best of both worlds being a younger sibling and an older one.
2. Middle children are creative because they are forced to come up with imaginative ideas in order to get their parents attention.
3. Middle children can get away with a lot. Granted, I’m pretty tame and don’t exercise this privilege often. If I ever were to go on a rebellious spree it would never be as bad compared to the oldest child, and by that time the youngest probably already did it.
4. You will never experience the feeling of watching all of your older siblings go to college and then being left alone in the house to be smothered by your parents.
5. Middle children are diplomatic. After all, we’ve spent years perfecting the art of negotiation, whereas older children could simply demand and youngest children whined.
6. Chances are you’ve shared a room at some point in your life, making you a well-practiced college roommate.
7. More likely than not, you will have some of the same teachers as your over-achieving eldest sibling, so teachers might give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you are as obliging of a student.
Overall, us middle children are victims of our older sibling, tormentor of our younger sibling and somehow, peacekeeper between both of them. Cherish the fact you’re stuck in the middle.