Do most parents have a favorite child?

1. 76

   gclittyposted 13 years ago

   Do most parents have a favorite child?

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2. 68

   Cordlessaccountposted 13 years ago

   I sure to hell hope they don't...why, do yours?

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3. 60

   Michelle Craigposted 13 years ago

   Good God no.  They are all loved completely and unconditionally the same.  Or at least I was and as are my children.

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4. 76

   gclittyposted 13 years ago

   I think my mom loves me more than my sister and my father loves my sister more than me..

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5. 59

   Edoka Writesposted 13 years ago

   I've seen several instances where that notion can be perceived. I love my children equally, but differently.

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6. 60

   kimbrewaaposted 13 years ago

   I don't know if I would say a favorite. I have three and I wish that my second (girl)was more like my first(boy). My third is in a league of her own and I can already tell she is going to be a handful! I originally wanted all boys...now I know why LOL

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7. 61

   wingedcentaurposted 13 years ago

   I can't believe that any responsible parent has a "favorite" child. Though I am not a parent myself, I still, nevertheless, find the "favorite" child concept difficult to fathom.
   
   Certainly parents might have specific children, in their families, with whom they "identify" with more so than the other children -- but this is NOT the idea of favorites. It is possible, in families, with two or more children, that one or both parents might perceive x child as "just like me" (in terms of interests, basic personality, etc), or "a chip off the old block" even, but again, this is not the idea of favorites.
   
   I would certainly like to think that most parents appreciate each child for her particular characteristics, but you get cases in which a parent perceives x child as "a carbon copy of me," and so forth, but this is not the idea of favorites; it certainly shouldn't be!

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8. 60

   duffsmomposted 13 years ago

   No, I hope not.  I love both my children equally, although I am fully aware of how different they are.  I could never and would never choose between them. 
   
   While we love our children the same, that does not mean we don't relate to each one differently.
   
   An example is I have two granddaughters, 6 and 4.  The 4 year old loves to snuggle and cuddle with her mom, or any family member.  The older one is always moving and not really into snuggling although the offer is always made.  She will sit next to me and lean against me and that is her version of a hug.  but if you try and push her into affection, she backs up every time, even with her mom and dad.
   
   But....from her perspective, she may grown up and say her sister was snuggled more that she was.  Perspective can be very interesting.

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9. 59

   lisasweettyposted 13 years ago

   I believe because each child is unique in their own way i would have to say being a mother that no i don't have a favorite one.The thing that we do get confused is that some children need more attention than other because of actions and behavior when the other child might be doing ok in most areas.

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10. 60

    Lovesloveposted 13 years ago

    I think for any parent to have a favourite child is unthinkable.... children are ( hopefully) conceived in love and should all be loved equally however many there are in the  family..I have 2 sons and a daughter  ....I do more with my daughter now she is a grown woman,shopping etc but thats what mums and daughters do there is a special closeness .....but that does not mean I love her more than my sons , I can honestly say I love all three of my children with equal measure and always have.

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11. 65

    ThunderKeysposted 13 years ago

    So called evolutionary science shows a strong measured effect of increased parental investment - more time spent, words talked and positive emotional exchanges between, parents and the first vs later born.
    
    They say the first born has already got more "reproductive resources" (time energy) invested in them by the parents and is most likely to survive and reproduce under difficult environmental conditions. Better to invest in an already strong reproductive contender,the evolutionists say, and that this parental investment bias is constrained through behavioral genetics through increased reproductive fitness.

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12. 64

    scoobydebposted 13 years ago

    I cannot speak for "most" parents, but I absolutely do NOT have a favorite child.

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13. 83

    gmwilliamsposted 13 years ago

    Most parents have a favorite child whether they admit or not.  If parents have more than one child, they often have a child who they like and/or inadvertently treat better than the others.Favoritism is a fact of life in many multichild families...... read more

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