Life

13 National Middle Child Day Memes So Nobody Forgets About Us This Year

by Samantha Darby

Ah, it's Aug. 12, my friends. That means it's National Middle Child Day. If you're not familiar with the day, I'm going to assume that means you're either an older child, a younger child, or a middle child who doesn't have "the syndrome." You know the one I mean. If you're a middle child who's totally pumped for the big day, I'm right there with you — it's about time we got some recognition, right? I mean, we're the peacekeepers, the attention seekers, and as these middle child day memes prove, we're also the ones constantly getting ignored. Not today, y'all. Not today.

OK, so chances are we are going to be ignored. I mean, they expect middle children to practically raise themselves in most families, I can't imagine they're ready to bake us a cake or celebrate our birth order on the big day. But we can dream, right? That's what us middles have been doing our entire lives — dreaming about the day when we would get the first piece of pie, when we would get some milestone before anyone else, and when we would be treated like the "baby" of the family. I know, I know — I sound really intense right now. But you guys, it's tough being the cream of the OREO — until you realize that's the best part.

1Typical

Har har har. Let's just get these jokes out of the way now so we have plenty of time for cake. We get it — nobody notices us. Don't you think we live this life?

2Accurate

I have an almost *exact* replica of this image with me staring at my older sister holding our brand new baby brother. It's the picture I pull out whenever someone says middle child syndrome isn't real. OK, Jan. (Except Jan would never say that.)

3Oh

I mean, I got lost twice when I was a kid. My parents weren't neglectful, but now I'm wondering if it was just my middle child-ness that made me so forgettable.

4"You're fine."

Oh, the ol' "you're fine" trick. I've heard this one before. You're not alone, fellow middle.

5OK, Fine

When we were growing up, there were cabinet locks and a chain on the door. I always thought they were for my younger brother, but nope — they were purchased specifically for me and my Houdini ways. Hey, middles have to get creative when we want attention.

6That Explains It

Tiger blood runs through all of us, middles. We feel you, Charlie.

7That Zoom Tho

Yes, yes. Thankful is the word.

8Truth Bomb

Literally no one wants to be Luigi, but you'll take what you can get when you have an older sibling. (Plus at least you're not just waiting on someone to die on a hard level like the youngest sibling.)

9Again With The Jokes

Jan would probably bake you a cake and send you a card. She gets it.

10Bonding With Three Kids

The user who uploaded this wrote "when you're the middle child during sister bonding time," and you know what, I get it. (But to be fair, it also works in other dynamics like when my brother and I would hang out and my sister got the shaft. I think this just happens with three kids.)

11It's True

Basically.

12Ouch

Insert crying emoji here.

13That Middle Child Swag

Ain't no swag like a middle child swag. We gave you Stephanie Tanner, Jan Brady, Malcolm in the middle, Arya Stark — we obviously have earned our right in every family unit and still can't ignored. I guess you guys just can't handle all of this. Happy National Middle Child Day to all my fellow middles.