Do you have a favorite child?

I don’t know very many parents that would admit that.
BUT< I know parents that have certain children they get along better with than their other children, don’t know if you could classify that as favourite .

No.

Yes. But he is also my other kid’s favorite sibling. It’s not that I love him more…I don’t…but I like him more.

I never had my own children; however, I did have 4 step daughters. I loved ALL 4 equally; but, 1 minded very well, 1 minded when she damn well felt like it, & the other 2 NEVER listened!!! The 2 that never listened stayed in trouble where the 1 that listened only when it suited her was in trouble a good majority of the time & the 4th seldom had to be corrected. I didn’t have to correct her very often where the other 3 demanded correction hourly. Had the 3 minded as well as the 1 then nobody would have been corrected very often…but that NEVER happened. I didn’t “favor” the 1…she just didn’t require correction nearly as often!!!

I worked with school-age children from 1985 until 2010, and for the most part, was around from the time they entered school until the summer after eighth grade. I have never had any of my own children.

We treat all children equally and strive to never show any favorites or biases. But we come to know many kids and families as our own. We certainly have favorites. Sometimes it it because of what types of kids we prefer to work with, but there are certainly some we prefer because of their personalities and interests and how well they resonate or respond to us. It is also true that we are drawn to some kids more than others.

I only have the one kid, so it’s pretty easy for me to answer this question: yes, I love my child more than I love anyone else’s child. I’m pretty fond of my nephews and nieces, but my son outranks them all.

As a middle child, however, I’m contractually obligated to insist that my parents favored my older brother and my younger sister.

It’s very obvious to me that my best friend’s dad prefers his sister to him; I picked up on it years before he ever brought up the issue with me. He and his dad are seeing a family counselor, so I hope they can work through it. Favoritism seems to be quite damaging. I joke about my parents liking me better, but I don’t think they have a preference. If they do, they are so good at hiding it that I will never question the status quo. They like me, my brother, and my sister for different reasons.

Nope, it is obvious to them and to others I don’t have a favorite. In a lighthearted manner they each accuse the other of being the favorite.

Shall we move on to 10 grandkids? collapses from exhaustion.

The mute one.

I think about this a bit. My oldest was born when I was sixteen and the pregnancy was unwanted and traumatic. He and I have been through what most people have not and we essentially grew up together. When he was very young, I felt like he was the embodiment of my guardian angel (hey, we all have to have a story to get through tough times). I was certainly the parent, we didn’t have the kind of relationship where we were “best friends” throughout his growing up. But he’s an adult now… and we kind of are best friends. My relationship with him is like no other. As a 22 year old, he calls me at least weekly and we talk for about an hour. About anything. He is one of my favorite people in the world.

My little ones were very much wanted and born from a loving marriage. My husband and I grew up essentially as only children (we had siblings with VERY large age gaps) and had no idea what life would be like with two little ones near the same age. It is a lot. Especially with being in a PhD program. Life is absolutely exhausting.

But there is something about each one that I find absolutely amazing. Whether it be personality, logic, interest, creativity, humor… Some times I have a “least-favorite” kid, but it doesn’t last long. Almost all of the time, they are each my favorite in VERY different ways. I work very hard to see the individuality and growth/change in each of them. Maybe that has something to do with my perspective. Maybe it’s my trauma and then deep longing to have a “normal” family. I don’t know. It’s not a flippant answer. They really all are my favorites. But my relationship with each is different.

Sure. Mine.

No parent worthy of the name should ever claim to have a “favourite” it’s crass & ugly beyond belief.
My son being my first born will automatically hold a special place in my heart, similarly, with regards to my daughter I feel more protective towards, that’s just the way it is & as far as it goes.

Absolutely. My daughter is my favorite.

Of course, she’s my only, so…

Usually, it’s the one who is talking to me at the time.

The other day 5 year old Zoey was kind of whining because I was doing something for 4 year old Cooper that I wasn’t doing for her.
I said “That’s because I love Cooper more than I love you!”
She cracked up! She’d never heard anything so ridiculous in her whole life! :)

I-HA-HI love pretty girls, they make me feel so good…

Anyone who is still following, do your children voice that they know who was or is the favorite? Does that upset you when they say something like that? How do you feel about it? I’m asking do they think and say it, not whether it’s true or not that you have a favorite.