Jan Bradys and Malcolm in the Middles of the world unite: Monday, August 12 is national Middle Child's Day. Most won't be getting or giving a card on the little-known holiday, but one Syracuse University alumnus wants to change all that.
Bruce Hopman, the self-appointed spokesman for the self-created International Middle Child Union (I.M.C.U.), hopes to raise awareness by encouraging middle children to go on "strike against the universe" that day.
"It's more of a symbolic strike than an actual one," he said in a phone interview. "We want people to be sympathetic to the cause."
The I.M.C.U. is pretty much only real online, as a "virtual alliance" through Hopman's blog Smack Dab in the Middle (smackdabtheblog.blogspot.com) and social media on Twitter (@MidKidMusings) and Facebook (facebook.com/smackdabpage). The cause, however, is only slightly more serious.
"What do we want? Attention! When do we want it? Now! Or as soon as you're done paying attention to our siblings!" the I.M.C.U. declared in its rallying cry.
Hopman, who graduated from the S.I. Newhouse School for Public Communications in 1979, is a mid-kid himself who knows what it's like to be overlooked by older and younger siblings. He calls it being the "Rodney Dangerfield of children," because they get "no respect."
"Middle Child Syndrome" suggests kids in between the first and last born feel neglected and jealous, relegated to becoming lifelong wallflowers. According to a 2011 CareerBuilder study, middle children are more likely to earn less than their siblings.
"Everyone I talk to says being a middle child sucks," Hopman says.
However, many of the estimated 70 middle children worldwide are just as driven and successful as anyone else -- famous mid-kids include Madonna, Abraham Lincoln, Charlie Sheen, Martin Luther King Jr. and Charles Darwin.
Still, on Middle Child's Day, Hopman aims to get middle children to join the symbolic strike on Aug. 12 by using the hashtag #MidKidStrike on Twitter. Their siblings, parents and "Middle Child sympathizers" are also invited to show support for just one day.
"Our brothers and sisters aren't going to help us out [most days]," Hopman explained. "They have to protect their turf... I'm not trying to take away attention from everyone else -- it's just for one day."
He's also mostly joking when he says he'd like to see Hallmark officially recognize the holiday. "Obviously we don't have cards yet [but] I don't see why not."
In the meantime, middle children are invited to join the union by signing up for I.M.C.U. membership cards on the Smack Dab website.
"Actually, it's probably not even legally a union at all," Hopman admits, "but we have a logo, and that's good enough for us."
The site also includes suggestions for movie remakes in honor of middle children, such as "O Brother, Why Art Thou So Annoying?" and "Hand-Me-Down Toy Story." Members can also gripe to others about their middle child problems, print out "MidMark" greeting cards and read "MidKid Musings."
Hopman, who's retired and lives in New Jersey, adds that he's working on a memoir about his life in between older and younger siblings. The book will tentatively be titled "Smack Dab: A Middle Child's Story."
He's also first to acknowledge that his strike is silly, but wants middle children everywhere to have fun with it.
"WHO CARES!? We're just trying to get some attention -- even if it's only for one day."
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