Children with both older and younger siblings tend to be pitied, but being in the middle can have a lot of long-term benefits.
Middle children are often considered to be the most independent, resourceful, and open-minded in such pursuits as trying a new skill or maintaining a healthy relationship.
Salmon dives into the reasons that being born second or third isn't all that bad. She points to middle-born people who've changed the world for the better, like Bill Gates, Nelson Mandela, and even Britney Spears. All of these trailblazers have some traits that contributed to their success.
According to research, kids born in the middle are able to mesh with many different personalities and they've mastered the art of negotiation, which can equate to success down the road.
In the end, there are some soft "traits" that may apply here or there, but a kid's personality really depends on the kid, not the birth order. So instead of worrying about your middle kid being shy because of their ranking among their siblings, just know that's who they simply are. And if you have a middle kid who's totally awesome, it's likely because he's just awesome on his own.
