Honestly.......do you have a favourite child?

[perceptionreality]

I definitely don't and I find the concept odd but have just heard a programme about it on the radio.

I remember once reading an article about a mother of 4 who said she preferred one of her dds to all the other dcs and the way she talked about it was not something I identified with at all.

Oh yes I do. But it changes minute by minute depending on who is being the most irritating :o

My aunt totally messed up my cousins by having a favourite.

She loved the youngest the most which made the eldest totally jealous and attention seeking because she had 0 confidence in herself.

When the youngest grew up and distanced from her mother she started to pay a lot more attention to the eldest.

The eldest growing up only got attention when she was ill and actually has munchausens

I don't. I'd say I was closer to my older DD as she can walk, speak and do a lot. Younger DD is not talking and cruising at 13 months so I can't hold a conversation with her yet.

There's no favouritism in this house.

I heard part of this too. Did it say anything about only children?

My sister was 'the favourite' and she is still a self-centred brat!

I love her dearly but still...

I dont have a favourite child. But I recognize that my boys (9 and 6) are two very different individuals. The younger is commanding much more attention with his mischievousness, and the older is much more quiet and sensible. Sometimes we both tut and share knowing raised eyebrows at the younger one. He is definitely more of a charmer, but the older has a different intellect which you can engage with on a "deeper" level. This means that tailoring the attention can sometimes get quite tricky. . At least for me who is not "a natural" with children. Having said that, we aim and strive to treat them both equal. Not the same (as that is not possible) but equal. And they both get the same amount of hair ruffling, back strokes, hugs, morning cuddles, etc. Though the younger will demand it more and climb up on the lap for "family squeeze time", to go Beep Beep on everybodys nose (and my boobs).

This was the article I read a few years ago;

www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/sep/14/children.family

Yes. Whichever child I'm fostering at the time.

I don't like any other children

My eldest has special needs, hasn't allowed me to have a proper night sleep for 6 years, I had to resign to my job due to his needs, is the reason why I have developed thick thick skin against gazing eyes when having a meltdown. And yet, I love him just as much as my second Ds who is wonderfully NT.

Really, adore them both.

My dds are 3.4yo and 21mo and dd1 is her dads daughter with her temperament and attitude and humour and dd2 is like me in almost every way (so far). I love them both dearly but differently. I think as they get older I might have more in common with dd2 but dd1 has all the personality traits of her dads that make me love them, even though they are both bonkers! :)

But if I ever have a dc3 who sleeps through tge night then they will be my favourite! :)

Ditto to gingersnaps!!!
I prefer whichever is the less annoying or the more ill!
And it changes every minutes!

Yes, but i only have one. sometimes i worry that if i have another i wont love him/her as much.

No definitely not. I read a similar article recently and it said that parents are lying if they say that they don't have a favourite. I completely disagree.

yes I definitely prefer my DS to any other child.

No, although they both wail that the other is the favourite as I am "so unfair", so I guess I am treating them equally

Love the very bones of them equally and unconditionally, like their good qualities, discourage their bad qualities, totally couldn't call it.

my children's dad has a favourite and makes it really obvious so I tend to favour the other one to balance it out less and less since he moved out and I have special time with both of them but personally I don't have a favourite

they are both very different children and I love different things about them and I am proud of their different characteristics and achievements

I don't believe the article-I don't see how I could possibly have a favourite. I get on with certain ones better at certain times, or in certain situations,but it doesn't make them favourites.
I love them unconditionally-I don't think that you can do that and say 'well I prefer x because he is easier or funnier or shares my hobbies etc-that makes it conditional.
People come up with odd theories sometimes-they should just be ignored.

I've only one so she's my favourite.
I believe that parents have chosen children. My DH was the apple of his mums eye. He was clearly the golden boy and could do nothing wrong (except marrying me) in her eyes.
He was oblivious to it, honestly. His siblings weren't.

I don't, my children are so wonderfully different that parenting them is too different to compare.

I love all of them with all my heart but I am aware that I treat my dd differently to her brothers and I must change that.... its not her fault she was born a girl .