If You're The Middle Child, You'll Remember These 6 Things You Hated Hearing Growing Up
If you're a middle sibling, you grew up with a ton of pros, as well as some cons. You got the perks of being both an older and a younger sibling, but you sometimes had to fight for the spotlight with your parents, teachers, and extended family. Being the middle child meant that you had the best of both worlds, but also the worst of both worlds.
You likely have many positive memories of growing up as the middle child, but you probably also have a list of things that you hated hearing over and over again. You might have been compared to your older sibling, but were expected to take care of your younger sibling. People always referred to you as so-and-so's little sibling, but they would also say that you needed to take on more responsibility because you were, in some capacities, an older sibling, too.
I am a middle child myself, and though I sometimes hated it growing up, I've come to embrace it. I think that it made me closer with both of my siblings, and I'm so glad that I have the unique middle child bond with my siblings and my parents. Now, I can look back on all of these phrases that used to bug me so much and laugh, because I know that being a middle child is part of what made me the person I am today.
If you're a middle child and are tired of hearing all of these things, take it from someone who knows the struggle all too well: It totally gets better, and you'll be thankful for it later. Middle children are the best. (Not that I'm biased or anything.)
01"Why Can't You Be More Like [Your Older Sibling]?"
Being the second child in the family means that you were likely constantly compared to your older sibling. Especially if your older sibling is a model student, it can be hard for your parents or other relatives to stop comparing the two of you.
You're always proud of your older sibling, of course, but it can get tiresome hearing how awesome they are all the time. Nonetheless, you're honored to be related to them, and they give you something to aspire to.
02"Can You Take Care Of [Your Younger Sibling] Tonight?"
Being the middle child meant that you had an older sibling who could pass along chores and duties to you (We all did it, don't lie!), and that always included babysitting. For one reason or another, your older sibling wasn't available to help take care of your younger sibling, so you always ended up being the one who had to babysit.
03"Well, When [Your Older Sibling] Was Your Age..."
Similarly to how you were always compared to your older sibling's accomplishments, your parents probably liked bringing up how they were when they were your age if you ever had any complaints. They loved saying things like, "When so and so was your age, they never fought me on this..."
04"[Your Younger Sibling] Needs Help With..."
Because you and your younger sibling were closer in age, your parents probably assumed that you were the most equipped person in the family to tutor them and help with homework. You ended up being the person to help them study for tests, run lines for the school play, and videotape their choreography for cheerleading rehearsal.
05(From People Who Know Your Older Sibling) "Aren't You [Your Older Sibling's] Little Sibling?"
Being a younger sibling of someone who made some sort of impression always led to the questions of, "Aren't you so and so's younger sibling? How are they doing?" It definitely took some time for for you to break free of the title of "little sibling," but once you did, it helped everyone see you in a different light.
06(From Your Younger Sibling) "You're Not THAT Much Older Than Me."
I'm only a year and a half older than my little brother, and I remember hearing this line from him pretty much anytime I told him what to do. Granted, I was a bossy kid (and I'm probably still bossy now), but he never wanted to listen to me or give me "older sibling perks," because he didn't really think of me being much older than him.
