![]() Middle children are typically the hand-me-down kids of the family. It will also help your middle child to grow up managing responsibilities well, which is a character trait sometimes lacking in the more free-spirited middle child. (It may be different tasks or roles, but make sure they do something!) This will communicate to your middle that he or she is not only a part of the family, but that the family actually depends on them. Don’t do it! Make sure that you are teaching that middle child to do just as much work and contribute to the home as much as the first born has done. It is easy to let them own this role, while the middle and younger kids ride on the benefits. If you have a more typical first-born, chances are that they have proven very capable. Setting aside time to just listen to your middle child will meet them in a very special way. Over time they often learn to just step back and let the older and younger sibling get all of the attention. Middle children are known to feel overlooked and ignored. They need to know that they are loved simply because they are. Giving them your time and focused attention without any expectations is really important. Middles often feel compared to their (typically over-achieving) older, and (often attention-seeking) younger siblings. So after a lot of study, experience, and observation, I have created a list of… You might see them getting squeezed between their siblings, and just hope that they are really doing ok. You might wonder what they’re thinking, because they aren’t so quick to share. But we still worry, don’t we? If you have a middle child, then you might wonder if you are giving him or her enough attention. Heck, maybe they’ll be President one day. If you have a middle, you can let them know: over half of the American Presidents have been middle children.įor those of us raising middle children, we should rest assured that they are very likely to grow up to be well adjusted adults, with a happy life. (Think Donald Trump.) Middles are also said to be the most loyal marriage partners of any birth position.Ī short list of famous “middle children”: Abraham Lincoln, Bill Gates, Jennifer Lopez, George Bush, and Donald Trump. However, middles are known to grow up well–being creative problem solvers, and great negotiators. Middles have been known to experiment with riskier behaviors than other birth orders, possibly as part of their search for an identity. Middles might struggle with their sense of identity and belonging, which often leads them to run with the pack. They might strive to be a lot like the older sibling, but more typically they go the opposite direction (often as far as possible!) Middle children are said to be careful who they open up to, often keeping their feelings to themselves. Middle children can present a paradox of personalities, because of the fact that they are very much influenced by the first born of the family. They are also more drawn to relationships outside the family than their siblings, and more likely to move further away from home when they are grown. They are more laid back than their often high-strung older siblings. Most middles are: Flexible, good negotiators, and very social. Most experts seem to agree with a few things about middle children. If you find this topic interesting, I highly recommend you read it. I’ve found Kevin Leman’s book, The Birth Order Book: Why You Are the Way You Are to be quite helpful in this area. Sure, there are a few pitfalls to be aware of, but the way I see it, middles might just do the best in the long run. But really, the more I study and observe, the more I think middle children have a lot of good going for them. We’ve all heard the term (or is a diagnosis?) “Middle-child syndrome,” and it seems that people often pity the middle child. Ever since I wrote my post What a Teenage Boy Needs Most from His Mom, I’ve received numerous requests for a specific post about those mysterious middle children, and what they might need the most. I know I’m not alone in finding this topic interesting, as well as a bit intimidating. Not only do I have a great sample to study in my home, but I was also raised in a three-kid family: Two older brothers, and then me.the “baby.” (And a Tasmanian devil, but that’s another story.)īut really, I have always been intrigued by the topic of birth order. I always say he must fall somewhere between a first born, and a baby. Levi, who arrived six and half years later, throws me for a bit of a loop. Josiah, 15 (below, left), Jonah (on the right, below,) 13, and Luke (center, below) almost 11. ![]() I seem to have a pretty good sample for a study on birth order…
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