By Terry C. Misfeldt

I was curious about my position in the grandchildren pecking order.

More on that later. This, though, is about being a middle child.

If you’re not the oldest child or the youngest of three, then you are a middle child. If your parents have completed their contributions to the population, you’re stuck — smack dab –in the middle!

The only way you’re not “the” middle child is if your folks have four children and you’re either number two or number three. Oh, you’re still stuck in the middle…but you’re not alone.

I wrote this because I have a daughter who’s caught smack dab in the middle. And, like most middle kids I’ve known, they become invisible when they want. And there’s always someone else to blame for the spilled milk or broken lamp. At least, that’s what I’ve found with the middle children of my children.

But the real reason for writing this goes back to the opening. My maternal grandparents had seventeen grandchildren. Eight were older than me. Eight younger. I’m the one smack dab in the middle! It goes even further. My paternal grandparents only had seven grandchildren. Three older than me. Three younger. Again, I’m the one smack dab in the middle.

Where are you?