What Happens with the Middle Child?
The middle child is like the ham and cheese in a sandwich. They’re squeezed between one older and one younger sibling. In my case, there were Gve girls, and I was right in the middle. What happened? I congrmed that I was the ham in the sandwich: too young to play with the older ones and too old to play with the younger ones.
It’s often said that the middle child feels abandoned because more attention is given to the older or younger siblings. I experienced this Grsthand, and it’s true. I felt it as abandonment because no one wanted to play with me.
My mother always said that we were Gve. She didn’t like us playing outside; she preferred that we play among ourselves. But I couldn’t force my sisters to include me. As a result, I often thought I was going crazy because I started talking to the walls. I had no one else to talk to.
So, if you see a child talking to the walls and they don’t seem psychotic, it’s likely because they feel very lonely and have imaginary friends. I also took refuge in my imagination, which helped me become an artist. I would put on shows, sing, dress up, and invite my sisters to watch my performance. They all came to that. That’s how I lost my fear of performing in public.
I became a singer at 15 and continued until today, perhaps even becoming a television star because I learned from a young age. In other words, I made the most of the situation, but I did suffer and felt lonely and abandoned. It was also very di#cult for me to build strong bonds with my sisters. It left a lasting impact on me. This explains why I always strive to do things well, stand out, and focus on art and creativity.
Being the middle child is tough. Learn to consider them and don’t neglect them. Make sure none of your children feel lonely, and this advice doesn’t just apply to the middle child. My daughter does something very smart. When she visits a friend who’s had a baby, she brings two gifts—one perhaps smaller for the Grst child and another bigger one for the newborn.
Give attention to the Grstborn. Help them bond with their sibling, have them help with feeding, holding the baby, and tell them they’re responsible—along with mom— for taking care of them. Don’t take the throne away from the king; teach them to accept that they were born a prince or princess. (www.dranancy.com)