CLEVELAND — Being a middle child is a special privilege, including the likes of celebrities Jennifer Lopez, Katy Perry, and Zoe Saldana, and people who are lucky enough to be a part of that club inevitably develop certain characteristics that serve us well throughout the rest of our lives.
As someone with both an older and a younger brother, I've had the joy of cultivating these personality traits over the past several decades, and can tell you from experience that certain things about us middle children stick out like a sore thumb.
In honor of National Middle Child Day on August 12, I'm revisiting a list I previously put together for POPSUGAR of ten things that ring true for middle children everywhere (or at least, for this middle child).
If you ever find yourself in doubt about whether you're face-to-face with a middle child, short of doing the easy thing and simply asking them if that's the case, here are a few things to watch out for that can help you confirm your suspicions:
- The middle child can at least come off as being pretty carefree, because they don't have to live up to the pressure of being the first kid to do something, or the "last chance" at anything for parents with high expectations.
- Because of that low-pressure situation, that middle child might also be a little starved for attention, so if someone goes out of their way to catch your eye, there's a good chance they're stuck in the middle of their family tree.
- And as the bridge between the older and younger siblings, the middle child has an incredible ability to be constantly in the know. Flying under the radar means the middle child always gets in on the good family gossip.
Since this is National Middle Child Day and this is a story about being stuck in the middle, three personality characteristics felt like the perfect number to share here.
You can check out the full list of tell-tale middle child traits here, and use it to better appreciate the middle child in your life today, and every day!
And if you're a middle child yourself, share a photo with us of you and your siblings so we can show it off to the rest of Northeast Ohio on What's New at 5 P.M.
You can submit photos and videos through 'Near Me' on the WKYC app, or by texting a picture to (216) 344-3300.
