It was along about the age of 11 or 12 that my middle child complex kicked in. My body was getting a bit bulky getting ready to bloom. I was no longer little and cute, Michelle was though! It seemed to me at the time that Michelle could do just about anything and not get in trouble because she was the baby of the family. It also seemed to me that Kathy was able to go and do so many things. I, of course, was jealous and resentful because I wanted to go and do these things also. My sisters and I have joked about this middle child complex all our lives but at the time I was very frustrated. It is such a difficult age to go through anyway, emotions flying in all directions and then you have a cute little sister and a big sister that can do everything!!! They were like a fly in my ointment.
I couldn't do the things Kathy could do because I was 11 or 12 and she was 15 or 16. Being told that and even understanding that, didn't help diminish my frustration. I did eventually outgrow this stage and was able to do all kinds of things. Life was good again!!!
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"fly in my ointment" is an expression I've never heard. Did you make it up, or have I just never run across it before? Being a middle kid is a thorny issue. Sarah has been our perpetual middle kid all along, and it doesn't matter how many kids we have. She also happens to be at the same age you were when you were dealing with this. I'm glad you grew up to realize that you didn't have to stay little and cute, nor did you have to grow up like Kathy, to have value and be loved. They loved you all along!
ReplyDeleteFly in the ointment is an old expression that you never hear anymore. there was never any doubt in my mind that I was loved and had value.
ReplyDeleteDid not really need the visual of my Mom "blooming". :-)
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