There's a notion in our society that being the middle child is the worst. Shows like Malcolm in the Middle or The Brady Bunch portray middle kids as forgotten or neglected, but being the middle child is actually awesome. Here are twelve reasons why being stuck in the middle is more of a blessing than a curse:
1. There's not a lot of pressure on you
Parents usually place a lot of pressure on the oldest sibling because they're their "first." There's a lot of expectations for them to set the bar high in all aspects of life. Reversely, the youngest sibling gets the golden reputation for being the "baby." They're coddled and fawned over, which may sound nice, but can be pretty suffocating as you get older. Luckily as the middle kid, you get to fly under the radar most of the time and do your own thing.
2. Your parents aren't as strict with you
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Oldest siblings always get the short end of the stick. They were your parents first, which means they were probably very overprotected and had to follow a lot of rules. By the time you came along, your parents knew the ropes and didn't implement nearly as many rules with you. They realized that there are just more important things in life to worry about than little Johnny getting mud all over his Sunday best.
3. You get to learn the ropes from your older sibling
Having an older sibling means that you get a free trial for life. It's like having a Here are magic eight ball for everything. Nervous for your driver's test? Your older sibling passed two years ago and has all the tips and tricks for being a pro driver. Worried about applying for college? Your sib went through the whole process first and can guide you through no problem. Need advice before your first date? Your older sibling's got your back.
4. In turn, you get to be a mentor for your younger sibling
You're so grateful for everything your older sibling has done for you over the years, and now you get to pass on the torch to your younger sibling. It's fun to be the mentor for a change, and if you're stumped for insight, you can always tell your little bro to ask your older sibling so you're not responsible for giving him bad advice.
5. You get free stuff from your siblings
A lot of people tend to look at hand-me-downs as cheap, but hear me out. Having an older sibling means you get an entire wardrobe of free stuff to raid through and make your own. Your older brother has a million sports t-shirts that he doesn't wear anymore? Grab a pair of scissors and make some cute crop tops for summer! Your sister is leaving for college? Whatever she didn't bring to school is yours now!
6. You're the calm and collected one
While the oldest kid is panicking over the expectations set for them and the youngest is being showered in attention, you're chilling in the background with your shades on and an umbrella drink in your hand.
7. You're a great mediator
Growing up with siblings guarantees having your fair share of fights and arguments, and as the middle child, you've found yourself more often than not mediating between your older and younger sibling. You tend to stay on the middle ground and keep the peace when tensions rise, which is a very useful skill to utilize as you get older.
8. You're creative
Middle kids tend to fall in the shadow if their older sibling and don't receive as much attention as their baby bro or sis, but not being in the spotlight all the time has made you more creative. You get to observe your siblings from the sidelines and see what works and what doesn't in life, and using this knowledge you're able to create your own path through life and come up with other ways to be heard in the world. Abraham Lincoln, Bill Gates, Anne Hathaway - all middle kids.
9. You're independent
As the mediator of the family, middle kids aren't ones to fight for attention over their siblings. You're happy chilling in the background if it keeps the peace, and this has made you extremely independent over the years. You know how to occupy yourself and don't rely on validation from anyone else, which is an extraordinarily freeing quality to have.
10. You manage the perfect balance between your social life and private life
Having siblings that get the majority of the attention at home leaves middle kids seeking it elsewhere, making you pretty sociable. But even though middle kids tend to have a lot of friends, you also love being by yourself and know the value of quality alone time. You grew up paving our own path in life, and while this has taught you to be comfortably independent, it's also allowed you to meet and connect with lots of different people, granting you the perfect balance of a social and private life.
11. You're empathetic
While older and younger siblings may have a big age gap between them, you have the luxury of being super close with both of your siblings. You're able to relate to both your mature older sibling that you aspire to be like and your "baby" younger sibling who you see so much of yourself in, and this has made you a very empathetic person over the years. On top of your mediating skills, you're able to connect more easily with lots of different people.
12. You've got a lot of drive
Most people would assume that being in the shadows of your siblings would make middle kids less motivated and more prone to be bitter about being left out. This could not be further from the truth. Middle kids are resilient. Maybe it's from your siblings getting most of the attention at home, or maybe it's because you're both independent and creative, but middle kids have a lot of drive and a lot of ambition that's entirely self-motivated. Learning to be your own person growing up and not falling under the pressures of the older sibling or the attention of the youngest sibling has made middle kids your own biggest fan. You rise to your own expectations, whatever it is they may be.
Be proud of being the middle kid. You may not always get all the recognition, but you're still awesome. Just don't tell your siblings, otherwise, you'll start a civil war over who's the favorite (we all know it's the middle kids, but we'll just keep that one to ourselves).
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