Here’s Gill with an interesting question. I can’t honestly say I’ve ever felt any more or less favoured than anyone else in the family at least not any time it ever would’ve counted for anything, but I’m sure it does happen. It’s human nature to have favourites and to get along with some people better than others. No reason that even unintentionally it couldn’t extend to your own kids. Good on the parents who were willing to for admitting it.
A recent study showed that 34% of moms and 28% of dads admitted to picking a favorite child. This got me to thinking to my average self about it, and I brought it up with my mom as we walked along the streets of Toronto. She turned to me and asked, “whose telling the truth?` I thought of this for shy of a second and replied, “the 34 and 28, but I think the 66 and 72 do it unknowingly.`
Truth
When I actually sat down to mull the issue over I thought back almost twenty years, and thought of a time when I thought my mom favored my sister. Heather, younger than me by fifteen months was what I assumed my parents had dreamed of. Intelligent, pretty, able-bodied, and not embarrassing to bring along. This, what I would figure to be true, caused me to hide out a lot at my parents home.
In A Moment Of Anger
When I was around sixteen my mom invited me to go somewhere with her, and having kept a considerable amount of anger inside I suggested, “why don’t you take your favorite daughter?` I don’t remember what she said or did, but I am pretty sure I hurt her feelings.
It’s All About Relating
Now that I am grown I have figured this simple fact, that it’s all about relating. I have always considered myself a daddy’s girl. I can talk to him about sports, machines, and I joke around easily with him. I also have figured how to relate to my mom as well. We both love to read, like a lot of the same foods and music, and now have a mutual understanding.
Question
When you were growing up, did you feel favored, or that your sibling, stepsibling, or half sibling was your parents favorite? Or maybe you are a parent yourself.
Hey, it’s Steve again. I can’t hit publish without slipping this in.
To this day, Jim and Tim say “mom always liked you best”. Usually it’s the older saying it to the younger. They are both in their forties now but some things never change. They’ve always said it as a joke but there is probably some angst hidden underneath.