Stuck In The Middle
Young Parents Singapore|April 2018

Is your youngster struggling with middle child syndrome? Help him overcome these feelings of neglect and negativity

Dr Richard C. Woolfson
Stuck In The Middle

If you have three kids, consider how your No. 2 is coping with middle child syndrome. That’s when he feels hard done by because of his position in the family.

He gets neither the advantages of the eldest child (who has all the “firsts” and is allowed the most freedom) nor the advantages of the youngest (often spoilt and allowed to do most things he was never allowed to).

Learn how to prevent his sense of injustice in the following complaints.

THE COMPLAINT “You always miss me out.”

THE SOLUTION Make sure your middle child feels as special as his siblings. He needs to feel that he matters as much as other kids in the family. So ensure he doesn’t get lost in that psychological space between the oldest and the youngest by giving him a fair share of your individual attention. A few minutes of one-on-one time with you each day is all that is required.

THE COMPLAINT “You don’t care about me.”

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