The Middle Child

Many experts have studied the placement ofaccomplishments of the middle child and make
children in the birth order of the family unit andsure that praise is given where it is deserved. You
have discovered that each group displays certainshould also try not to compare your children with
traits and characteristics. Oldest children tend toeach other. Holding one child apart as the role
be born leaders while younger children tend to bemodel can be detrimental to the development of
affectionate and creative. Middle childrenself esteem in the others.
characteristics are a little harder to pinpoint asYou also need to encourage your children to work
these youngsters usually stand apart from theout their disagreements on their own. The middle
other children.child may become too dependent on you to fix
Growing up as a middle child can make thehis problems. Children can learn good negotiating
youngster feel like they go unnoticed by hisand diplomacy skills from solving their problems
parents. The oldest children are held in highbetween each other on their own.
esteem due to their accomplishments while theYou may need to spend some extra quality time
youngest are coddled and babied. The middle childwith your middle child. Oldest and youngest
may feel as if he has to struggle just to getchildren seem to need your attention more than
noticed. Parents tend to expect more from theirthe middle child does, which is oftentimes
youngest and oldest children as it may be difficultmisleading. The middle child may not seem to
for them to define their expectations for thewant your attention due to the fact that many
middle child. In most cases, parents may havemiddle children are often more emotionally
taken pictures and documented every "first" thatwithdrawn and distant from the rest of the family
their oldest child did and may have lightened upthan their siblings. This is an even greater reason
these efforts in relationship to the second child.to spend more time with them.
While the parents may have done this as a resultThere are some good traits that are exhibited by
of being more relaxed about their secondmiddle children. These children grow up to be
experience at parenthood, a middle child maymore independent and are born mediators and
view this as solid proof that they mean less tonegotiators. They also tend to "go their own way"
their parents than their older sibling.when dealing with established ideas. They are
The middle child may also constantly compareinnovators and thinkers. Some famous middle
themselves to the other siblings, especially thechildren include J.F.K., Madonna, Donald Trump,
older ones. He may seek interests in differentBarbara Walters, and Bill Gates. Each of these
areas that will allow them to stand apart frompeople is an example of just how successful
their elder. This attention-seeking attitude alsomiddle children can become with a little extra
tends to make the middle children theencouragement from their parents. Each of them
"risk-takers," often participating in dangeroushave "gone their own way" and become role
sports or choosing careers that have an elementmodels for others. By supporting your middle child
of danger and/or risks involved.in his tendency to go against the status quo, he
Parents can take several steps to ensure thatmay grow to be as successful as some of these
their middle child evolves into a happy and healthymiddle children have become. The possibilities are
adult. They need to focus on theendless.