Do you believe Middle Child Syndrome exists?

Absolutely real.

Yes, I do believe in birth order, however, I believe that nature is stronger than nurture and we can overcome our upbringings. Some easier than others. I also am a big fan of personality theory, which also plays a big role on how we cope with things in general.

My sister was born in 1974. I was born in 1977.

She has a baby book and hundreds of pictures and bronzed baby shoes.

I had to go to vital records for my Birth Certificate.

I was born in the middle & i’m happy as a pig in shite, my childhood was fantastic.

My husband was a middle child, one of five, and I’m pretty sure he’s his mom’s favorite (not that she doesn’t love them all).

I was the baby and was spoiled rotten. I think my sister got middle-child treatment even though she was the oldest.

No, I believe that to be over-simplified.

No, that’s a crock. I’m the middle child in my family. I’m also the alpha male in my family. Which isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. If anything goes wrong my phone is the first to ring. I think it’s more how you are raised, not where you were born.

I had four siblings growing up. I do think middle child syndrome exists. I don’t think it occurs because of neglect though. My middle sister was my mom’s favorite.

My oldest sister got piano lessons. My younger brother was catered to on little league and motocross. My younger sister and I, the middle children, were mushrooms.

It exists, to an extent, and can affect one all other things being equal, It is just one of a number of factors; it is not defining.

I wonder if this is where “piggy in the middle” originates…I was never keen on pork.

That might depend on the sex of the middle child. I have three grandchildren, two boys and a girl. The middle child is the girl. her older brother gets attention since he is the oldest (and considers himself the authority on everything). Her younger brother is the baby and she is the middle child. Maybe because she is the only girl she gets attention from everyone.

I do notice that she is the “peace maker” of the three. She leans towards her brothers decisions to keep the peace. They are young, ages 5, 7 and 9.

I’m the oldest. That does come with some privilege and a lot of responsibility. My middle sister became insanely jealous of that somewhere in her teens. Sux.

Youngest = Brat. That’s right on. Hee hee.

I believe it exists, but I don’t believe every middle child suffers from it.

Just like many only children have certain characteristics, but they don’t all fit into the stereotype.

My husband’s brother definitely has some middle child syndrome going on.

No. I don’t think “the middle child is neglected more than their siblings and are more likely to be depressed and have anxiety and self-esteem issues.”

I think the middle child believes they are neglected more than their siblings and are more likely to be depressed and have anxiety and self-esteem issues.

My sister, the middle child, was never satisfied.

@ibstubro Great point. It has more to do with the child’s perception. I say that about younger sisters when they have older sisters. Almost all younger sisters worry about not being as pretty as the older one or being jealous of their social skills and that the older one is allowed to do more. It is simply a function of age. The older sister wears make-up first, and starts dressing more grown up first, and can interact on a more sophisticated level first—because they are older. Younger siblings don’t often understand they get to do things at the same age as the older sibling, sometimes younger, but to them it feels uneven and unfair.

Since the middle child is a younger sibling they have that going on and then add in a new baby, and babies do take a lot of the mother’s time usually. Father’s typically bond a lot with the oldest child and the youngest child with the mother. That dynamic also maybe affects the middle child in some subtle way.

@JLeslie It’s not really that great of a point. It’s a syndrome, so whether it comes about due to actual neglect or a perception of neglect changes nothing because a syndrome is defined in terms of a set of symptoms rather than causes. The real reason to be skeptical about middle child syndrome is that there is very limited evidence in its favor and a lot of apt criticisms of the research and theories supporting it.

@Patton I agree it doesn’t matter why, whether it be perception or real.

As far as the research, I am unaware of the research and the criticisms of it. I was just going off of the people I know. Obviously, not scientific.

I’m the boy between two sisters. Despite overt claims to the contrary I think I was treated differently, not neglected but rather encouraged a bit more and given more freedom.
I.e. gender differences overwhelmed any middle-child syndrome.