Middle children tend to be agreeable, diplomatic and loyal peacemakers. Middle children are good at compromise (they have had to learn to be) and usually end up with someone most like them, but can really pair well with anyone.
Leman says that a compromising middle child tends to make a good partner for lastborns who are usually socially outgoing. They also have good communication, because middle children are not threatened by lastborns, so their communication problems aren't so much of an issue.
10 Characteristics of Middle Children. Compared to their siblings, middle children may be much more agreeable and easygoing in life. They are more extroverted, as well. They don't have to lead the pack, and they don't get the “babying” that their younger siblings do.
Overall, 38 percent of Americans who are the youngest in their family report they were the favorite, compared to 27 percent of those who were oldest. Middle children are the least likely to say they were a favorite child; only 20 percent believe they were.
However, she may be fibbing because researchers are now saying that your mom and dad actually favor the baby of the family. While the youngest sibling is usually the funniest kid, mom and dad favor the youngest for a reason that might surprise you.
Characteristics of a Middle Child
They're good at being mediators and want fairness in situations. They're also trustworthy friends and work well as team members. Not as family-oriented as their siblings. They may have a stronger sense of not belonging than their siblings do.
The middle child syndrome may cause the child to resent her siblings for the attention and care they receive from their parents and others'. This could breed feelings of jealousy in the child and, in turn, cause her to treat them as rivals with whom she must compete.
In terms of the individual traits, middle kids are 6.93 percent more likely to be Feelers, and 7.23 percent less likely to be Thinkers than if personality had no relationship with your position in the family hierarchy. This is significant! There's another trait to consider here and that's Extraversion.
Middle children tend to be more satisfied with marriage in general, but they seem to pair best with spouses who are the youngest in their family.
According to the study, the best possible match is a firstborn female with a lastborn male, because their needs are in harmony with each other. A firstborn with another firstborn, Leman writes, is likely to be a power struggle.
"Middle children tend to describe feeling a bit less loved and cared for in the family," says Dr. Silva-Breen. However, notes Hammerslough, socio-emotional development and future outcomes for middle children have a lot to do with how you parent.
Studies suggest firstborns score higher in IQ tests, earn higher salaries and perform better in school than their siblings. The theory reasons that parents treat firstborns as the "first draft," showing more protection, nurturing and attention to the elder child than subsequent newborns.
“The middle child is the one your parents planned for.” “The middle child is the one who silently keeps the whole family together.” “Middle child: I'm the reason we have rules.” “The middle child learns from the older ones and teaches the younger ones.
They're probably not praised like their older sibling or coddled like their younger one, which may make them feel excluded or neglected. This phenomenon, called middle child syndrome, may also leave them without a sense of place within the family.
Characteristics of The Middle Child
A middle child feels obligated to compete against their siblings to receive their parents' recognition3. Due to a lack of attention, middle kids are insecure, confused, neglected, and rebellious. They are more likely to engage in delinquency4.
The stereotype is that parents will overlook the middle child because the oldest has the most responsibility or is the trailblazer while the youngest gets all the attention as the baby of the family.
An independent streak and sense of individualism
"The stereotypical middle child is more sensitive, more distant from the family, even when they get along well, and often finds a path that's very different from the others, so they have a defined sense of self," says Dr. Daramus.
There's a calming sort of energy that surround a middle child, and people can sense that. They're attracted to them because they're the sense of stability in the midst of any chaos, and they know that they can come to you when things get crazy and you'll automatically have the right thing to say.
Experts say a glass child is typically emotionally neglected; experience severe pressure to be problem-free and perfect; take on parental responsibilities within the family at a young age; and have an overwhelming need to make others happy.
Middleborns are just as smart as their siblings.
According to conventional wisdom and past research, firstborns are the smartest siblings, because their parents give them more undivided attention and encourage them to focus on their studies.
Interestingly, studies show that fathers' favorites are likely to be their youngest daughter, while moms are likely to favor their oldest son, Kluger says. They may be of the opposite sex, he says, but they tend to share traits associated with the parent's sex.
Many (43%) prefer the youngest, a third (34%) a middle child and fewer (19%) the eldest. Having a favourite is controversial.