Happy Middle Child Day

Happy Middle Child Day!

I got a text from my daughter this afternoon, wishing me "Happy Middle Child Day". You guessed it...she's my middle child. I also happen to be a middle child. We "middles" often get a bad rap, but my girl and I have often relished the thought of being the "in the middle". 

All the best things sometimes come in the middle...like the sweet stuff in an Oreo, the good stuff on a cheeseburger, the middle of a bubble-gum sucker...and sometimes, even the monkey in the middle...the list goes on and on. It's never been a better time to be a middle child, as far as I can tell. First borns, last borns, and anywhere in-between borns are pretty spectacular in my book, too!

Famous Middle Children

Here are some famous middle children: 

Abrahma Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela, Angelina Jolie, Natalie Morales, Bill Gates, Jennifer Lopez, Warren Buffett, Anne Hathaway, Sarah Jessica Parker, Julia Roberts, Madonna and more.

The Research on Birth Order 

There's plenty of research on birth order, and while it's true that where you are born in a family's constellation impacts your experience in the family, nothing is carved in stone. We all become about as successful as we set out to be. This article helps dispel some of the myths about birth order. It also cancels out the idea of falling back on prescribed roles in the family. Birth order isn't destiny...and we all can be whomever we set out to be...responsible, kind, sociable, engaging, studious, successful and every other trait under the sun. I guess it's true what has always been said about practice makes perfect. Whatever we work at most, we become better at.

What will you work on today?

MORE for Parents

If you are a parent, and you happen to have a middle child, that tells me you have a minimum of three children, which means you are no stranger to sibling rivalry! So...here is one of our archived articles on creating a calm family. It links to twelve articles that are helpful for all families. We think any parent can benefit from them, but parents of more than one child can find solace and peace with some of the techniques we share! 

Everybody Calm Down: More Than a Dozen Ideas

Happy Middle Child Day to all you other "middles" out there...especially to my girl!