“Wait a minute, this is about your sibling,” is a common phrase in the life of a middle kid.

Since my freshman year, I’ve been telling my parents about all the trips the Spanish department takes during Spring Breaks.

Now, imagine this: Me, an accomplished student who should be rewarded with the study abroad experience I’ve longed for since 2013, spending a week with other deserving students in beautiful Mexican cities while enriching our cultural awareness.

Virtually, all that’s keeping us from making this fantasy a beautiful reality is one thing called
money.

I am an unemployed individual who’s currently in search of a job, and I told my dearest parents about the trip. Let me tell you how they handled this.

“Is that my sweater?” my mother asked to avoid the conversation.

My dad jumped in with the convenient, “That….that’s a lot of money. Uh….a large sum of money.”

And my mom came back by literally quoting The American Crisis and adding, “Have you read that book that says, ‘These are the times that try men’s souls.’?” Absolutely perfect.

However, my little brother has new toys every other week and my older brother has a new phone.

I bring all this up to bring attention to one thing: the troubles of a middle child who plays the role of the older sibling.

As someone who has parents that reminder which school did better at a track meet as opposed to meeting dates, I can tell you right now that favorites do exists, and trust me when I say it’s very difficult for my parents to not favor me.

I’m a published author, a National Honor Society member, an actress, a pageant queen, an intelligent person (sarcastic and slightly condescending but intelligent nonetheless) and I take care of my kinfolk. I’m accomplished for a 16-year-old, so how could you ignore me if I were your child?

Many kids and teens face a similar case of Middle Child Syndrome such as my own. As much as people say we’re just dramatic, this is actually a real phenomenon.

According to family dynamics researcher Katrin Schumann, the middle children are often times more ignored or neglected by parents and researchers than their siblings.

However, this in turn causes a more independent mindset and lifestyle amongst the infamous middle child.

“Fifty-two percent of our Presidents have been middles. Martin Luther King Jr., Abraham Lincoln, and Madonna—all are visionary middles with strong leadership qualities,” Schumann said during a Q&A with Lynne Griffin R.N., M.Ed.

You see, without us middles, there would be no structure. All that would be left is a parent and, on average, two children.

We are the backup parents that aren’t celebrated on mother’s and father’s day, the overachieving group that owe success to our siblings for needing more attention.

We may be pushed to the side quite often. We may not be thanked for everything we do, and our achievements may not be as praised as our siblings.

But we are the binding of the classic American family who deserve to be acknowledged as such.