Middle Child Personality Explained

Being the middle child might affect your personality. Birth order has been shown to play a key role in the characteristics and personality traits that children develop. Birth order often affects the environment a child is raised in, such as the first child being showered with attention. The following is a look at what middle child personality is, and why it is the way that it is:

Often the middle child has a real battle with whether or not they belong. They often feel as though they are ignored or unwanted in their family because of their birth order. In other words, the other children in the family get more attention, and as a result, they feel like they are left out. Sometimes, they feel like they are pulled in opposite directions, being forced to choose sides with the older or the younger sibling, which again makes them feel as though they do not have a place.

Because the middle child is constantly subjected to feeling unwanted or not as important as the oldest and youngest child, they tend to suffer from low self-esteem. They start to think of themselves as not as important, and thus they feel inferior to other people, as if their opinions, thoughts and contributions do not hold as much weight. This can lead to severe problems in the child, and even depression.
The condition may affect school work negatively.

Often the middle child is used to fending for themselves, and not being part of the older or younger child’s world, and as a result they tend to be withdrawn in social situations. They feel like they do not belong in their own home, so why would they belong outside of it? This results in loner-like behavior, and unsocial characteristics. They are often quite shy. They tend to prefer their own company to that of others.

Middle child personality often leads to lack of trust. They feel like they are on their own, and struggle to interact with people, which often leads to trust issues. They long for attention, and as a result become gullible, and often the target of jokes, which only furthers their trust issues, and convinces them that they were right to stick to themselves.

Middle child personality is a disorder that middle children often suffer because of the way things pan out in families naturally. If you have three children, it is a good idea to be aware of this disorder, and take steps to avoid your child suffering from the symptoms. For example, you could make a real effort to give each child equal attention, and to ensure that each one’s opinions are heard and validated daily. You will want to make sure that they get their way every now and then, and know that they are a vital and important part of your family. Helping them feel as though they are wanted and that they belong can make all the difference in the world.