Do parents really have favorites?

Question

Its been heavly debated for centuries if parents love all their children the same or if they have favorites

Answer 1

I think they do have favorites, but that they still love all their kids the same. With favorites, I think they have favorites as to which kids they want to spend more time with. I think it's natural to feel that way. We're all people with different personalities. I was my father's favorite and my oldest brother was my mother's, but it was more out of common interests and personalities and not about love. I think my parents loved all of us equally even though we may have been closer pals with one parent or the other.

Answer 2

I'm sure some parents favor the one who is an all-star playing 3 sports, getting good grades, with a job, etc. For example, one child may be on the wrong side of the tracks and cause extra stress, or after so long they just give up on that troubled child. But I think a majority of parents do not over look the other children just for favoring one. I think that not favoring is based on a family bond and the amount of love to go around.

Answer 3

There are numerous parents that have favorites. Some dads treat their daughters like princesses, some dads treat their son like princes and daughters like crap. Some parents hate their kids. But, a part from all this- all parents probably relate more easily to one child's personality. This can either lead that parent to dislike that child a little more b/c they see all the weaknesses in that child as their own or to like them more. Basically it's not a very documented phenomenon.
I recently looked into studies on birth order stuff. The weird thing is that there is very little- and in all my studies we never learned a single thing about psychology related to birth order. This means that birth order has very little to do with parental love.

Answer 4

I am a parent of three children. They are all different in their personalities and goals in life. I love them all, but in different ways! I believe a parent always loves their children no matter what ever happens between them, their is always a bond that ties them together. Each of mine is special and is an individual. Each has different good and bad traits, but then again, we ALL do! There is nothing I wouldn't do for any of my children because through good and bad times, I still love them all!

Answer 5

Sure they do-- their favorite kid to take to the mall, their favorite kid to read books to, their favorite kid to do the dishes, etc. But that's only because each child is a distictly different person. All children are loved the same amount, but they are shown love in different ways. My dad loves my sister's enjoyment of music, my brother's appreciation for mechanical stuff, and my philosophical bent. My mom loves my sister's practical nature, my brother's sentimentality, and my similarity to herself. They don't love any of us more than the others; they just love different things about each of us.

Answer 6

I think for the most part parents love all of their children the same, but they can LIKE one more than the other.

Answer 7

Some parents do, but it's really hard on the kid who isn't their favorite. A lot of times an outsider can tell who the favorite is. It's actually really sad.

Answer 8

I think so, unbelievably, my mom tends to favor the trouble maker of the family. I know she loves us all, but she had 5 and the bad boy is the favorite.

Answer 9

I guessing they probably do, which is one reason I feel its better for me to only have 1 child. I know she is my favorite. I wouldnt care for a second child as much, especially if it were a boy.

Also it is my personal opinion that the leading cause of child abuse is having TOO MANY DAMN KIDS!!!

Answer 10

I think so. My parents always seem to like my brohters. Thier athletic I'm not so athletic. But I get good grades and am smarter than them. It seems like that they don't really care about that much.