The Struggles of Being a Middle Child
The rank of siblings by age, or birth order, has a profound and lasting effect on one’s psychological development. Due to this, it is common for the middle born to suffer from Middle Child Syndrome (MCS). MCS is a disposition that generally arises with the middle child of three children in a household. Middle children often lack the attention that the oldest—the most important child—and the youngest—the parent’s favorite child—receive. So they bemoan their fate as being ignored and often grow resentful.
As a result of the unfavorable conditions associated with being a middle, the middle child develops symptoms including: a low self-esteem, insecurities, jealousy, resistance against authority—to name a few.
For middles who are experiencing MCS, simply understanding this psychological disposition can be the first step in overcoming it.