Common Traits Of Being The Middle Child

1. They are good mediators

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Being a good mediator comes from putting yourself in the middle of a situation and seeing a good compromise. And since the middle child is literally right slap bang in the middle of things, their mediating skills develop at a very young age making them more capable than most.

2. Middle children can often feel neglected

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Being the middle child is hard because parents often see the eldest child as being the one who needs more adult time as they take a path not yet discovered, and the youngest child naturally often gets the most attention due to them having more needs. So as the middle child, they can often feel that they get the least attention!

3. They are super emotionally independent

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This makes the middle child become more emotionally and physically independent, due to the fact that they have to fend for themselves more than the eldest and youngest children. They learn to look after themselves and end up becoming the most independent of all.

4. They're fiery

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The middle children are often fiery characters. Putting up with older siblings patronizing and blaming things on you, and having younger siblings annoy you means that you have to stand up for yourself. And so, as a result, the middle child is often very fiery!

5. They like to establish their individuality

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As the middle child, it can be hard to establish your own identity. You are in the middle, and so it can be hard to navigate your own path. You sometimes seem to be treading in the shadow of the eldest child, whilst not having the identity as the youngest 'golden child'.

6. They've got a great sense of humor

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There's something about the middle child that makes them super funny. It's a common trait amongst many middle children, some experts believe that the middle child develops a strong sense of humor as a coping mechanism to deal with difficult emotions and situations.

7. They're self-sufficient

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Middle children have the guidance of their elder siblings and so they tend to grow up quicker, becoming self-sufficient earlier. They also often help their younger sibling/s and so they may get used to doing things for themselves and for others from an early age.

8. They are competitive

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Being in the middle can mean that you feel overlooked. You aren't the child who achieves anything first...that's probably already been done! And you're not the youngest hitting all the cute milestones. You have to fight for attention, time, and credit so you make sure you do!

9. They are great at reading people

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Middle children are often very good at reading people. This is because they have to be able to read different situations, different people of different ages. They are continually exposed to siblings and so they get very able to determine people's emotions.

10. They have to have a LOT of patience

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Middle children tend to be very patient...because they HAVE to be. Being in the middle of anything is no easy task, never mind growing up in the middle. As the middle child, your patience is tested on a daily basis which really does make you grow into a very patient person.

11. They're strong-willed

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One of the most common and evident traits in a middle child is that they are strong-willed. They know their own mind and they will stick to their senses. If they know that they are in the right, or they have a strong opinion, they will never back down!

12. The middle child has strong observational skills

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Observational skills are something that middle children are great at. they notice things that most people don't. When something changes, they know it. And, when something happens they are the first to spot it. They notice links between things that other people can't even perceive.

13. They're empathetic

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Middle children develop a lot of skills that other children don't develop to such a strong degree. They have a great sense of empathy which probably stems from growing up having to take on different roles, empathizing with elder and younger siblings.

14. And they have a strong sense of equality

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The middle child has a strong sense of equality. This comes from being in the middle, they have to be the child to see everybody's point of view. As the middle child can sometimes take the brunt of the blame, they establish a sense of what is right and fair.

15. They're risk takers

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Statistically, middle children are the child most likely to enjoy or to be happy to take risks. They often have strong personalities which give them the confidence to put themselves in new or scary situations if they feel that the risk will pay off for them.

16. They are good at adapting

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Going from the youngest child to the middle child takes a lot of adaptation, the entire dynamic is completely different. As a middle child, you get good at new situations and being able to adapt when necessary - which is quite often in the life of a middle child!

17. They're charming

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Middle children are always the most charming, which can be a very useful trait. They know how to win people over ad can do it easily. This is a tactic that they have to adopt and learn due to finding themselves at the brunt of everybody taking out their emotions - often on them!

18. They make good listeners

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Your older sibling is offloading onto you about their day and about the struggles of being the older child...your youngest sibling is complaining to you about how unfair it is that they're not allowed as much candy as their older siblings. You as the middle child have to listen to it ALL, so essentially you have no choice but to be a good listener.

19. They're good at taking criticism

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Often, the youngest child may not be so good at taking criticism. The middle child, however, is often very good at accepting when and why they are at fault and taking on board criticism to work on in the future. As long as it's constructive, they'll accept it.

20. They are sociable

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Being in the middle it's hard not to be social. If your older sibling isn't nagging you about something you've got your younger sibling annoying you wanting to play. When you're right in the middle you have to find the ability to socialise and be sociable.

21. But also very comfortable being alone

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Being comfortable with yourself and your own company is super important because it means that you can rely on yourself and find peace and happiness in being alone. Perhaps this comes from needing time away from siblings growing up, to find a sense of calm.

22. They are confident

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Middle children have a sense of confidence about them that many other children do not possess. It partly comes from needing the strength of character to deal with having older and younger siblings. So from a very young age, they develop a lot of confidence.

23. They can find common ground in sticky situations

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Sometimes when you're in the middle of a difficult situation, it's hard to see the way out and to be able to apply perspective to it. This is something that middle children are very good at. they can manage to find common ground in difficult situations and are able to do so from a very young age.

24. They are super resilient

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Middle children are super resilient, they can deal with tough challenges and put up with things that many people can't. They have resilience from a young age, which comes with dealing with literally being stuck right in the middle of family life...which can be tough!

25. They can multitask

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Multitasking is not for everyone - it's a difficult feat! Being able to do multiple things at once, well, is very difficult. Although multi-tasking is not exclusive to middle children, they seem to have this trait in abundance...more so than other people!

26. They are resourceful

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Middle children are often super resourceful, they manage to overcome obstacles more easily. They manage to make something good out of nothing, and middle children seem to statistically be more resourceful than their siblings according to some studies.

27. The middle child can be impulsive

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Middle children seem to share this trait in common...impulsivity! Being impulsive has both positives and negatives. It can lead to going for what you want without hesitation. Yet, it can also mean that you sometimes act without properly considering the implications!

28. And logical

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Another common trait that is often particularly found in middle children is that they have great logic. They seem able to apply logic to a situation, even where emotions are involved. This trait is taken into later life as a very productive and great skill to have.

29. They can adapt to any situation

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Middle children are great at adapting to any situation. As the middle child, they get used to adapting from an early age. They tend to be the child that has to adjust to the most changes and witness the most changes making them very able to deal with different situations.

30. They have good negotiation skills

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Middle children are great negotiators, and there's a perfectly good reason for this. The middle child often finds themselves at loggerheads with both sides and so they often have to be the negotiator as the person in the middle. It becomes a very useful trait throughout life.