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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to feel SO sorry for this child?

46 replies

scampadoodle · 22/09/2008 22:13

Our favoured few

This is a letter from The Observer this week, concerning whether people have favourites amongst their children:

"Could I suggest a solution to all those parents in denial over having favourite children ('Mothers admit to favourite children', News, last week)?

My wife and I simply decided to each rank our three children in preferential order, giving the favourite three points, the middle one two points and the last one point.

Each child ended up with four points, showing they are equally loved. The bonus is that our eldest son knows he is the favourite of one parent, his mum. Our daughter is the favourite of another parent (her dad) and our youngest son knows he is not last in either list. We are all happy and there is not a trace of parental angst to be found anywhere in the house.
George Steel
Liverpool"

'our youngest son knows he is not last in either list' Yeah - and he also knows he's not the favourite of either parent. In both their eyes he's second best. What a smug git that father is. Sitting down & scoring points - WTF???

OP posts:
SmugColditz · 22/09/2008 22:14

I'm assuming it's a joke.

MadamAnt · 22/09/2008 22:15

bizarro

TheFallenMadonna · 22/09/2008 22:15

Joke, surely?

Thomcat · 22/09/2008 22:17

Oh Fpr real? Not sure I feel sorry for the child as it's being overridden by a need to smash the fathers face repeatedly against the pavement!
Anyway the son least favoured will grow up to be incredibly rich and powerful and have his dad put in a home so.......

Utterly ridiculous. Pints system my arse! What a twat!

ingles2 · 22/09/2008 22:17

odd!

Original poster
scampadoodle · 22/09/2008 22:18

I know it's daft, but it really upset me. I hope it is a joke - prefer my being a mug to a boy having parents like that.

OP posts:
wheresthehamster · 22/09/2008 22:18

How could you RANK your children?? Say the youngest son had only got 2 points?? "We are all happy"

Git

HRHMamazon · 22/09/2008 22:18

he actually told his children their score?
jeez. its bad enough to award them points but to actually tell them...

i hope the kids have decent enough jobs to afford a good therapist.

Buda · 22/09/2008 22:19

WTF!

I am one of 4 girls. I could not honestly telly you which (if any) of us was/is a favorite.

My dad is so anal about such things that I remember a phonecall that I made when I lived in Vietnam.

"Hi" siad I
"Hello?" said he
It's me, I said.
Who, he said.
Your favourite daughter, I said.
I don't have any favourites, He said.
Can I be your favourite daughter in Vietnam? I asked.
No, I don't have any favourites, he siad.

That is as it should be.

Original poster
scampadoodle · 22/09/2008 22:19

I'm glad you all agree, I thought maybe I was being a tad over-sensitive

OP posts:
mamazee · 22/09/2008 22:19

its a joke

wheresthehamster · 22/09/2008 22:20

In fact I hope the eldest son realises he is the least favourite child of his dad and stabs him...

Milliways · 22/09/2008 22:21

I am lucky with my 2, as I have a Favourite girl & a Favourite boy

Original poster
scampadoodle · 22/09/2008 22:22

Please, Mr or Mrs George Steel, can you tell us your letter was tongue in cheek?

OP posts:
LynetteScavo · 22/09/2008 22:25

It must be a joke!

anyfucker · 22/09/2008 22:25

buda, that was lovely ikkle anecdote-let

that bloke is a twat, and a smug one at that

handlemecarefully · 22/09/2008 22:26

There is no way that could be anything other than a wind up, surely?

Thomcat · 22/09/2008 22:27

Your dad has it spot on Buda, bless him

SheSellsSeashellsByTheSeashore · 22/09/2008 22:31

i have favourite children. sometimes dd1 will be my favourite because she says/does something funny/helpfull/kind and then dd2 will smile/giggle/wink and she will becom my favourite

that man sounds like an arse.

bellabelly · 22/09/2008 22:34

Why are so many of you failing to spot that he is NOT BEING SERIOUS?!

Yurtgirl · 22/09/2008 22:36

It sounds like a real situation to me tbh - I know parents that think exactly like Mr Steele in liverpool

My X H parents regulary told him that as the third (fifth/sixth if you include children from previous relationships) he was a mistake and that they didnt love him as much as the first two - because he was a mistake............

lilmissmummy · 22/09/2008 22:41

aww that is really sad!

PootyApplewater · 22/09/2008 22:41

It's tongue in cheek.

A comment that an article discussing favourite children is rather facile.
As indeed it is.

There was a media request on here a few weeks ago, asking posters to be interviewed and admit to having a favourite child.

That would have led to family harmony.

SmugColditz · 22/09/2008 22:44

For all my father's faults, when ever we asked him to tell us his favourite, he would reply "All of you sometimes. NOne of you most of the time. Go and play outside, I'm watching the news."

Yurtgirl · 22/09/2008 22:45

HOW Do you know Mr Steele was not being serious??? How?

some of you have seriously rose tinted spectacles

My own mother admits she doesnt love me as much as she does my brother
She refers to him as the cherub