Why Being a Middle Child Is Hard

My Life Between the Oldest and the Youngest

Ged Libanan (Jilib480)

4 min read

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Just now

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Being a middle child is harder than most people think. I know it doesn’t sound dramatic — after all, I have siblings on both sides — but growing up in the middle is like living in a shadow. Not the kind of shadow that’s scary, but the kind that makes you feel invisible sometimes.

I’m not the oldest. I’m not the first to break new ground or bear the weight of responsibility. I watch my older sibling being praised for achievements, being treated like a “role model,” and setting expectations I’m supposed to meet. And then I’m not the youngest, the “baby” of the family who can get away with anything, who receives indulgent attention and unconditional leniency. I’m stuck in the middle — quietly learning to navigate a space where I often feel overlooked.

The Invisible Struggle