Do you think it's true that every parent has a favourite child?

[LittleTwiglet]

Just a discussion I've been having with a couple of friends, so do you have a favourite child, and why?

who would I save from a fire first?
Not quite the same, but any time we are on a boat DH and I always decide who will take which child if the boat sinks. DH would always take DC 2 becuase DH is a stronger swimmer than me and DC2 less good at swimming. If it was just me on the boat I’d take DC 2 again because he is the weaker swimmer, is generally lazy and gives up easily. DC 1 is fearless, hard as nails and very determined (there is only 18m difference), she’d fare better in any disaster. I love them both the same.

No.

But DM loved the boys more than me, and particularly one of my brothers could literally do no wrong, and boy, did he do some stuff. Me, for some reason, always at fault.

No. I don’t have a favourite.

I don’t. There are periods where I find it easier or more challenging to parent each of my children but I don’t have favourites.

No, because I don't.

@Bancha

I do. But, then again, I only have one child.

This is what I came here to say

I have favourites and I have two children. My favourite oldest son and my favourite youngest son :)

@Marmite27

I did this morning when one of them bit me, and the other filled up the toilet roll holder without being asked.

Usually no.

No. I do worry that in the future my kids will think DS (my third child) was my favourite because I do more for/with him, but in fact it’s because he has special needs and he needs so much more input to be able to do what his siblings can do by themselves. It’s such a hard line to walk. I have heard siblings of special needs children can feel this way so I try to mitigate it as much as possible.

I do.My only child

I don’t have a favourite. My DD’s insist I do because I never told DS off but he never did anything wrong.

No they are different people and I love them both fiercely. I don't even have a favourite DSC.

Possibly, the trick is to make sure all the dc think they are the favourite as I did with my dp's and as my dc's think with me.

I have an 8 year gap between mine and it has been asked over the years by both of them. Ds is now 18 and dd is now 10 and I just say I’ve got a favourite son and a favourite daughter.

My mum definitely favours my 2 younger brothers and I’m definitely my dad’s favourite but neither would ever admit it.

My ex-sil’s mum would actually tell her 2 daughters who her favourite was on any given day ( and mean it ) and they are all no contact now which is really sad.

My youngest was prem and I was lucky I made it. He is def a Bonus Baby but not a favourite..