Often times, the media portrays being the middle child as a bad thing. Always getting hand me downs, never getting enough praise or attention from parents, and worst of all, the constant comparisons between you and your siblings. However, being the middle child isn’t nearly as bad as it’s made out to be.

Being the middle child taught me resilience. When things get tough, I have learned to face struggles head on and get through them with strength. As a middle child, you never quite know what to expect, so you tend to prepare for any possible outcome- resulting in being headstrong and trusting your gut when it comes to the tough stuff.

Middle children also have a strong sense of independence. Since we can remember, we have been trying to stand out and hold true to all of our beliefs so that we don’t just blend in with the crowd. Us middles also make excellent leaders, since we have been trained to see things from both sides fairly and equally, and we often have excellent people skills. We can work with and get along with people from all walks of life.

Studies have also shown that middle children are much more open minded. As mentioned before, we are used to seeing things from multiple perspectives, and therefore are able to work through conflicts easily and fairly.

So, being the middle child isn't all that bad. Yes, sometimes I do feel left out. Sometimes I do feel that I have to work harder to gain attention and praise. But I wouldn't trade my middle child status for anything in the world. Being the middle child has led me to where I am today, and I couldn't be happier with that.