{
  "id": 5226324,
  "title": "Actor Romeo Tan on experiencing middle child syndrome while growing up",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/03/actor-romeo-tan-on-experiencing-middle-child-syndrome-while-growing-up",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-03T02:35:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Channel News Asia",
    "slug": "channel-news-asia",
    "url": "https://www.channelnewsasia.com/entertainment/romeo-tan-middle-child-syndrome-6359171"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Mediacorp actor Romeo Tan has spoken about how \"middle child syndrome\" influenced his relationship with his siblings. Born in the middle between an older brother, six years his senior, and a younger sibling, five years his junior, Tan faced unique challenges growing up. The actor, now 41, recently appeared in Mediacorp's multi-generational series Brighter Days, playing two characters - one as a nanny in 1996 and the other as his son in 2026. In the show, the younger character struggles with the emotional fallout of losing his own brother as a child, which also led to his mother's depression. Tan, who can relate to this brotherhood dynamic in his own life, shared that he often felt like the \"middleman\" between his siblings. He admitted to experiencing \"middle child syndrome\", becoming more rebellious and jealous of both his older and younger brothers. Despite facing these challenges, Tan and his siblings maintained a strong bond, respecting each other and getting along well, even if they had occasional disagreements.",
  "summary": "The Mediacorp actor recently shared how “middle child syndrome” shaped his bond with his brothers.",
  "key_points": [
    "Actor Romeo Tan experienced middle child syndrome due to being born in the middle of three siblings.",
    "Tan's older brother was six years older, and his younger sibling was five years younger than him.",
    "Despite challenges, Tan and his siblings maintained a strong bond and respected each other."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Playing a nuanced family dynamic in Brighter Days reflects Romeo Tan's personal experience with sibling relationships, where he navigated middle child syndrome to maintain a strong bond with his brothers.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "CNA - Singapore",
        "title": "Actor Romeo Tan on experiencing middle child syndrome while growing up",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/03/actor-romeo-tan-on-experiencing-middle-child-syndrome-while-growing-up-5226800",
        "published": "2026-09-03T02:35:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}