"Every parent has a favorite, or a preference. It is absolutely normal," says psychologist Ellen Weber Libby, author of "The Favorite Child." She also says that parents change their favorites at times. Stacy, of Los Angeles has a 5-year-old son and a 9-year-old daughter, "I completely favor my son.
With one child, you can give all your energy to a single kiddo, prioritize career growth or travel, and stress less about finances. Conversely, maybe you want more kids, but simply can't afford them, or health issues prevented you from having more. Or perhaps being “one and done” always felt like the right choice.
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.
Even if you don't fully recognize it, research indicates that there's a good chance that you actually do have a favorite. In fact, one study published in the Journal of Family Psychology found 74% of moms and 70% of dads reported preferential treatment toward one child.
Research has showed that, while having one child is associated with a gain in happiness, having a second is associated with a drop in happiness for mothers.
MYTH: Only children are lonely. FACT: Only children can have as many friends as their peers with siblings do.
Want to be a happier parent? Grow your family to at least four children! According to a study out of Australia's Edith Cowan University, parents with the most life satisfaction (which means those who are the happiest) are those that have four or more children. Dr.
"Every parent has a favorite, or a preference. It is absolutely normal," says psychologist Ellen Weber Libby, author of "The Favorite Child." She also says that parents change their favorites at times. Stacy, of Los Angeles has a 5-year-old son and a 9-year-old daughter, "I completely favor my son.
“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.”
Favoritism may cause a child to have anger or behavior problems, loneliness, increased levels of depression, a lack of self-esteem, or a refusal to interact with others. These issues may appear in children who were favored by a parent and those who were not.
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.
Not worrying may be easier said than done, but truly, parental preference is a normal and healthy part of toddlerhood. It can pop up between ages one to three, as children become more independent and learn to express their opinions.
Least favorite children can experience various repercussions based on how they feel they're perceived. Some include: Feeling sad, angry or hurt. Low self-esteem, or feeling bad about themselves.
As children and teenagers, only children may actually be happier without siblings. One large study found that having younger siblings reduced life satisfaction in kids and teens. Another found that teenagers with siblings were twice as likely to suffer from depression.
The reasons for the only-child family are many and varied: they include finances, infertility, age of parent, medical concerns, and the plain desire to have only one. Given the stresses of modern marriage, job pressures, the cost of raising children, the increase in one-child families is understandable.
The truth is that having one child as opposed to two or more allows for a much more controlled environment, and there are also fewer relationships in the family to potentially complicate the overall family dynamic.
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.
Sociologists from the University of California performed a study which found the first-born appears to get preferential treatment, and that most parents have a favourite child.
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.”
According to a study published by the Journal of Marriage and Family, 75 per cent of mothers report feeling closer to the eldest child, her first born.
According to a survey conducted by British parenting website Bounty, two girls are considered the best combination for parents to have a happy and harmonious family life. In their study, they surveyed 2,116 parents who had children aged 16 and under.
According to this recent study, the most stressful number of kids to have is three. From my experience, I actually found having only one the most difficult (although I was a mom to an 'only child' for a very short time).
An actual study revealed one to two children is the ideal number for “happiness”, but with two you don't have to deal with the aforementioned only child issues.