AIBU to think that Fathers don't love their sons more than their daughters?

[PickledLimes]

A friend says her husband is adamant that a Father will never love a daughter as much as he loves a son. (They have two boys and a third child of unknown sex on the way) AIBU to think that though this may be true of some men(including her husband) but that it isn't true of the vast majority? She seems to think that it's true of most men.

It depends on the type of parent you are not about boy or girl. In saying that my dh and I admitted that after we found ds was a boy we were secretly hoping for a boy. I didnt want a girl. I believe my dh bonds so much better with my ds than a girl.

Agree with a PP who said it's about personality, compatibility and also as adults it's often about location and proximity.
My DH has a much better relationship with his parents than his sister does for a variety of reasons.
And jeez hoppityfrog Is it the 1950s?? All that bollocks about 'a son's a son until he takes a wife' That may have been true to an extent when mothers and daughters lived in fairly close proximity to one another and families were very much extended. In todays global world there's not going to much girly bonding over shopping when the mother's in the UK and the daughter's in Melbourne or both live in the UK but 200 miles apart.
Family dynamics are far more complex than whether you have something between your legs or not!

My DH always really wanted a son and said so often. We had a girl first and he could not adore her more, their relationship is amazing. We had a son next and DH was very happy but he isn't favoured over DD, they're both equally loved. I think DH would have been happy with another girl as he'd realised by then how unimportant the sex is.

He is totally wrong. My Dad always said he wanted two daughters and after my sister and I were born he completely doted on us and told my Mother that a million pounds (worth a lot in the 1940s) wouldn't come anywhere close to making him as happy in comparison. No father could have loved his children more.

This is so sad though, because it isn't about him. What he likes should be totally irrelevant, because he's there to watch his child.

I think it’s fine to not be enthused about your child’s extra curricular activities as long as you don’t let on to the children. I have no interest at all in golf, I’m not even sure how excited I’d be to go and watch my own child play golf (no offence, golfers ) as I find it very dull. But I would still go if they wanted me there, and be enthusiastic about them doing it if it made them happy. Surely that’s the important thing?

I wanted a DD but my DH had no preference whatsoever. As it happens I got my DD but she’s such a tomboy I might as well have had a DS. Most parents love their kids the same regardless of sex though. If I had another child and they were a boy they would be loved just as much.
Anyway the (nonsense) stereotype is mums love boys best and dads love girls best so your friend is way off the mark.

Thank you all. It's interesting to hear everyone's perspectives. I'm the only child in my family so I was especially put out to hear her thoughts. Thankfully I've never been made to feel inferior though I'm sure that my Father would love to have a child who was interested in football, but I know several football fanatic women who attend games with their fathers and or husbands.

I can just about understand a slight preference considering how sex stereotypes are still so ubiquitous but it is depressing to hear people say that they don't want a girl(or boy). Hopefully my friend's husband will change his attitude.