{"id":1551,"date":"2014-02-26T05:41:30","date_gmt":"2014-02-26T13:41:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.enannysource.com\/blog\/?p=1551"},"modified":"2014-02-26T05:41:30","modified_gmt":"2014-02-26T13:41:30","slug":"the-middle-child-syndrome-recognizing-your-childs-unique-needs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.enannysource.com\/blog\/index.php\/2014\/02\/26\/the-middle-child-syndrome-recognizing-your-childs-unique-needs\/","title":{"rendered":"The Middle Child Syndrome: Recognizing Your Child\u2019s Unique Needs"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"middlechildsyn\"<\/a>Stuck in the shuffle of older and younger siblings, middle children are often labeled as lost. The common stereotypes about middle children and the famously-dubbed \u2018middle child syndrome\u2019 don\u2019t always apply to every child born in the middle of the family, though.<\/p>\n

Learn how parents and nannies can break through the labels that accompany the middle child and recognize the unique needs and personality traits of these developing wonders.<\/p>\n

Debunking the Myths<\/b><\/p>\n

Despite claims that middle children are neglected, lacking drive, resentful, negative and feel like they don\u2019t belong, Katrin Schumann<\/a>, co-author of The Secret Power of Middle Children<\/i>, asserts that middle children are not \u201cembittered wallflowers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even though a Stanford University study revealed that middle children are less bold, less talkative and more envious than their older and younger siblings, Schumann argues that middle children are often social beings and key team players.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf middles are so resentful and bitter, why are they more cooperative and trusting in their friendships? And why are they such successful leaders?\u201d questions Schumann.<\/p>\n

These stereotypes can work to a middle child\u2019s advantage. \u201cThey become more independent, think outside the box, feel less pressure to conform and are more empathetic,\u201d says Schumann. \u201cThis gives them great skills as employees and also makes them excellent team players and partners.\u201d<\/p>\n

In fact, middle children are often more driven than most perceive.<\/p>\n

Unique Traits of Middle Children<\/b><\/p>\n

According to Dr. Susan Bartell<\/a>, parenting psychologist and author, middle children sometimes struggle to find an identity, but can be independent, unique, moody and attention seeking. \u201cThey will benefit from a parenting style that includes a little bit of alone time with an adult without other kids,\u201d says Bartell. \u201cThey need to have their opinion heard and they need to be validated as an individual, not just as a younger and older sibling.\u201d<\/p>\n

With independence and a drive unlike any other birth order, it\u2019s likely your middle child will develop into a savvy negotiator. \u201cThey can see all sides of a question and are empathetic and judge reactions well,\u201d says Schumann. \u201cThey are more willing to compromise and so they can argue successfully.\u201d<\/p>\n

You can also expect your middle child to take on social issues and evoke change in his or her environment. \u201cThis is because the combination of risk taking and openness to experience leads to a willingness to try new things,\u201d says Schumann.<\/p>\n

Although middle children exhibit traits needed for success, the downside is that they also struggle to overcome characteristics such as low self-esteem. \u201cMiddles have lower self-esteem than other birth orders because of their lack of attention at home, but this can actually be positive as they don\u2019t have huge egos,\u201d says Schumann.<\/p>\n

Middle children may also avoid conflict at all costs. Although it\u2019s reassuring as a parent to know that your child is less likely to start an argument, the downfall is that your middle child may avoid addressing problems or be taken advantage of by friends, family members and co-workers.<\/p>\n

Parenting a Middle Child<\/b><\/p>\n

Because middle children are often moody and attention seeking, it is likely that he may be testing your limits one minute and acting like a people pleaser the next. One of the best ways to counteract attention-seeking tactics is to reassure your child and point out the specific traits he exhibits, especially those that differ from his first-born and last-born siblings. Promoting a middle child\u2019s independence will provide reassurance and help him establish an identity.<\/p>\n

If possible, toss the hand-me-downs to avoid making your middle child feel like she is second best. Although it may be necessary to pass down clothing or toys, try and provide something \u201cnew\u201d for your middle child periodically so she does not feel like a clone of the firstborn.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t forget to reserve special time for your middle child, too. Just as you may designate special days and times for older and younger siblings, it\u2019s important to know that middle children crave one-on-one time with parents and caregivers, too.<\/p>\n

Lastly, tune into your middle child with open communication. Focus on his passions, interests and hobbies to encourage independence and a sense of self for your child. Discuss what makes your child feel special and validate his concerns.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Stuck in the shuffle of older and younger siblings, middle children are often labeled as lost. The common stereotypes about middle children and the famously-dubbed \u2018middle child syndrome\u2019 don\u2019t always apply to every child born in the middle of the … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1551","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enannysource.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1551","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enannysource.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enannysource.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enannysource.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enannysource.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1551"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.enannysource.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1551\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1553,"href":"https:\/\/www.enannysource.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1551\/revisions\/1553"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enannysource.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1551"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enannysource.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1551"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enannysource.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1551"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}