You find yourself more relaxed around a favored child. You smile more, laugh more, and are less stressed. Your tone and choice of words changes when discussing your children with outsiders, including friends, teachers and others. You have uneven expectations for your children.
Only 30% say they prefer the eldest. This pattern is similar to parents with three or more children who favour one above the others. Many (43%) prefer the youngest, a third (34%) a middle child and fewer (19%) the eldest. Having a favourite is controversial.
While the youngest sibling is usually the funniest kid, mom and dad favor the youngest for a reason that might surprise you. According to a new study conducted by Brigham Young University's School of Family Life, the youngest sibling of the family tends to be mom and dad's favorite child because of perception.
Feelings of Least Favorite Children in Adulthood
If you felt like the least favorite child as a kid, as an adult you might be experiencing: Anger and disappointment. Feeling less accomplished compared to your favored sibling. Being withdrawn from your sibling.
Children who are anti-social, defiant, angry, bossy, impulsive and even shy have a greater risk of becoming unpopular — a term no one wants to be identified with.
Favorite children grow up with distorted, inflated views of themselves. They are vulnerable to feeling entitled and believing that rules don't apply to them. They are likely to struggle with intimate relationships. Additionally, they are likely to grow up alienated from their siblings.
“Parents tend to favour a child that is most like them, reminds them of themselves, or represents what they view as a success of parenting,” she says. “Younger children are most likely to have been raised by a parent who, over time and experience, is more confident and skilled in their child-raising.”
A recent study has found that it's not the youngest child that's liked the most. It's actually the eldest! While eldest children around the world have had to be the example for their younger siblings and parents being extra strict on them, it looks like there was a good reason.
The Best And Hardest Ages
Forty percent of survey participants felt that five was the most fun age. This was thought to be down to improved communication skills and the development of a good sense of humour. The survey also found that parents had the least fun with the 10 to 12 year old children.
Firstborn strengths
Since they have their parents to themselves before siblings arrive, the firstborn is accustomed to being the center of attention. "Many parents spend more time reading and explaining things to firstborns. It's not as easy when other kids come into the picture," says Frank Farley, Ph.
First-born kids tend to be leaders, like CEOS and founders, and are more likely to achieve traditional success. Middle-born children often embody a mix of the traits of older and younger siblings, and they're very relationship-focused.
Children in the Netherlands are among the happiest in the world, research has suggested, and experts say that there could be a number of reasons why this is the case. A UNICEF report published last year found that children in the Netherlands had the highest sense of wellbeing.
Researchers have found that 74% of mothers and 70% of fathers admit to having a favourite child - and children say there is a bias towards the eldest one.... READ MORE ABOUT: Children.
Parental favoritism is associated with a host of negative outcomes. Americans who grew up in families with favorites are more than twice as likely to report they felt lonely at least once a week growing up (40 percent vs. 18 percent).
“The biggest long-term dangers are depression, anxiety, unstable or even traumatic reactions in personal relationships, and performance anxiety for both the favored and non-favored children,” says Williams. She also discusses self-esteem issues and feelings of rejection following the child into adulthood.
Babies often prefer their primary caregiver
Most babies naturally prefer the parent who's their primary caregiver, the person they count on to meet their most basic and essential needs. This is especially true after 6 months when separation anxiety starts to set in.
A recent study suggests that mothers tend to prefer daughters and fathers prefer sons.
The greatest officially recorded number of children born to one mother is 69, to the wife of Feodor Vassilyev (b. 1707–c .1782), a peasant from Shuya, Russia. In 27 confinements she gave birth to 16 pairs of twins, seven sets of triplets and four sets of quadruplets.
Sometimes, it's the similarities that parents see between themselves and a particular child. Other times, research says, it's because of the closeness of their relationship with that child as well as the degree to which that child's values align with theirs, how proud they are of that child, and more.
A recent study revealed that the reason the youngest child is said to be the favourite is that they are often perceived as the favourite. This then results in better relationships with their parents, and whether or not it was originally true, it then becomes true.
Golden child syndrome, or being a “golden child,” is a term typically used by family, and most often by parents, to refer to a child in the family that's regarded as exceptional in some way. The golden child is expected to be extraordinary at everything, not make mistakes, and essentially be “perfect.”
Some perfectionist parents are perfectionists in every aspect of their lives. They excel at everything they do—otherwise, they wouldn't bother trying. They make major sacrifices to meet their goals. And by most standards, these individuals are successful people. Yet, they never feel quite good enough.
“Parental favouritism happens when one or both parents display consistent favouritism towards one child over another,” says Visher. And it's backed up by research. She points to several journals, including a study published by Elsevier, that explain why parents play favourites. “There are different reasons for this.
Peers tend to describe popular kids as attractive, athletic, wealthy, nice dressers, and “not boring.” Popularity is also linked to being friends with other popular peers. Researchers distinguish between “popular-prosocial children” and “popular-antisocial children.”