Whenever I tell someone that I am the middle child of my family, it is always received with by pity and sorrow towards me. I know this stems from the stereotype that the middle child is always the forgotten child. I'm not sure how this stereotype started, but I do know that it is not true. Being the middle child is actually the best and I'll tell you why.

For one being the middle child means that you have an older sibling to look up to. My older sister, Alyssa, has always been my role model. All my life I have had her to look towards to learn what to do and not to do in life. She had to go through everything first and I got to step back and learn from her mistakes. She also has always been there to help me through things she already had learned on her own. She was there to assist me with my homework in sixth grade and to aid me through the college application process my senior year of high school. She continues to help me even now as a freshman in college by giving me advice about college such as where to buy my books for the cheapest price. I love having an older sister to guide me through life, and I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

Being a middle sister means that I while I am able to be the little sister, I simultaneously get to be a big sister as well. I remember when my mom told me that she was having another baby, I was not a happy camper. I did not want a little sister because that meant that I no longer was the baby of the family. While I still to this day make jokes about wishing that my little sister was never born so I could be the baby, I love being a big sister and watching her grow up. She may be a pest at times, but I love being able to help her and guide her when she needs it. It also gives me the privilege of being able to tell someone what to do from time to time. Whether she actually listens to me is another story.

The lists of perks of being a middle child can go on and on. From never having to be alone to never having to be the guinea pig child. I always have had someone to hang out with when I am home, even when my older sister left for college. I also never had to deal with the stress and franticness of first-time parents. By the time I was around, my parents knew what they were doing and weren't nearly as lost or strict. Being the middle sister also means that I get to share clothes from both of my sisters' closets. I am big enough to fit in my older sisters clothes but small enough to fit in my younger sisters clothes. It truly is a win-win and triples my wardrobe!

As a middle child, you gain a skill set that older and younger siblings may not necessarily have. For one, you are an amazing mediator in every situation. As the middle sibling, you were automatically put into that role of being a peacemaker which can come in handy later in life. We also are pretty good negotiators and are diplomatic about when we want something in life. Older and younger siblings usually revert to whining or demanding what they want. We, on the other hand, are very creative and thoughtful about getting what we want.

I truly wouldn't want to be anything else other the middle sister. There are way too many advantages that surpass the disadvantages. Whoever created the stereotype that middle siblings get overlooked obviously was not a middle sibling. Sure, there were times where I didn't get as much as attention as my older and younger and siblings, but I never felt truly forgotten. How could the middle sibling be forgotten when in every picture they are automatically put into the middle? The forgotten sibling? Sounds more like the star of the family to me.