Why does it seem like the middle child gets more than the older and younger child?

Question

I see this so many time in my friends family who have 3kids and it always seems like the middle child gets away with allot more than the older and younger child does.

Why does it seem like that

Answer 1

Maybe it's because the first born and the baby get more attention, so the middle child can slip under the radar sometimes.

Answer 2

I see my son and his wife not paying as much attention to the middle child, who steals candy and stuff and then goes into a corner to quickly eat it.  They pay attention to the last child, the 'baby', who gets everything; the  older one is able to do her own thing, and is on the computer most of the time.  

So, I think the middle one falls into a crack, and gets away with more, simply because eyes are focused on the last one, and the oldest one is taking care of her self.

Answer 3

ya they do.

i am middle child.. and i get away with alot.

Answer 4

Not in my family.  Maybe it's just your friends.

Answer 5

well i am five of seven and none of us got away with anything.

Answer 6

They demand more - the oldest feels guilt over having gotten more first the last feels it has nothing anyway so the middle one gets anything they ask for.

Answer 7

Do you really think so?  I am a middle child and while growing up it seemed like I was ignored.

Answer 8

I am the youngest of three, so I have noticed that my middle sister had gotten away with having more sleepovers than me (she gets to have a sleepover because "it was already planned" and I don't).

It's probably because the middle child as seen the way the younger and older child get their attention, then mixes it together to create a bigger way to get attention. See, let's face it: Youngest don't follow the oldest's way, and vice versa. But the middle child always follows both. Make sense?

Lucky if you're a middle child,

-Claire ;)

Answer 9

So true :)

If my older or younger sisters did half the stuff i did they wouldnt get away with it ;)

xoxo