Personal Narrative: I Am A Middle Child

The smell of disinfectant engulfed me as soon as I stepped into the hospital. My green sweater with the T-Rex on it did little to prevent chills from running down my spine, and I was suddenly very aware of how small and insignificant I must have looked. But despite all of this, the one thing I was truly terrified by was the knowledge that I was about to meet my new baby brother. I had been the baby of the family for the past five and a half years, and I wasn’t too keen on having to give up my title. Consequently, I was now the middle child of the family, and although I didn’t realize it at the time, the impact this would have on my life would be colossal.
Whenever I tell people that I am the middle child, they often respond with a sad “Aww” or just a sympathetic shake of the head. They, like most, believe that people who are middle children are lonely and introverted, constantly being ignored and overlooked by their parents. This is only partially true, but not in a bad way. For instance, I have become more independent than my other siblings, as I was often not patient enough wait on my parents to help me with things. I’m the kid who wakes up on her own and does her own laundry. So, while some people see being a middle child as an unfortunate disadvantage, I see it as an opportunity to mature and grow sooner than others.

Sometimes I had to work harder to feel noticed by the rest of the family or to get a task done on my own.

Now I am a very driven and diligent person, often going above and beyond the call of duty to accomplish my goals. I always put a lot of time and effort into my school work, sometimes staying up until three or four in the morning to perfect an essay or make a project just right. Everything I do I put in one hundred percent effort, without taking shortcuts or only doing a halfway job. This strong work ethic has helped me to be very successful in school, band, and will most definitely stay with me in college and

afterwards.
A common personality associated with middle children is being a quiet introvert. This is quite true for me, and despite enjoying the occasional social event, I am very comfortable staying in the background and taking everything in. Listening and thinking before speaking have helped me to become a good student and an even better mediator. I am often someone who keeps a level head and knows what to say to ease the tension in stressful situations, which is very helpful as a sibling, a friend, and a leader in the band.