Most parents have a favourite child, and it's probably the eldest, according to researchers. A study conducted at the University of California shows that out of 768 parents surveyed, 70 per cent of mothers and 74 per cent of fathers admitted to having a favourite child.
The survey concluded that parents tend to favour their youngest child over the elder. More than half of the parents quizzed said they preferred their youngest child, while only 26 per cent said that their favourite child was their eldest.
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.
“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.”
Survey Finds That Youngest Siblings Are the Favorite Child for Most Parents. According to the survey, over half of parents who admitted to having a favorite child picked their youngest. You will often hear parents say that they love all their children equally but a new study suggests that's a bunch of baloney.
There's also the 'threenager' stage, which apparently makes the terrible twos seem like a walk in the park. However, there's an age stage that few people talk about and that's sweet 16 (months, definitely not years).
In fact, the results of a recent survey published in Evolution and Human Behavior found that we don't find babies cute until three, or even six months of age. From there, babies remain at peak cuteness until around age four-and-a-half. Understandable right? That's when they're at their most chubby and dimpled.
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.
The researchers found that because they were first to reach vital life stages, the oldest siblings tended to feel more confident and assertive. The study of 384 families, which was published in the Journal of Family Psychology, had actually set out to prove that first-born children were the ones who felt hard done by.
Researchers found that 13.3 percent of the most attractive children were buckled while only 1.2 percent of children categorized as the least attractive were buckled. Researchers concluded that fathers were more likely to favor attractive children when buckling them into the basket.
Research published in the Journal of Human Resources found that firstborn children outperform their younger siblings on cognitive tests starting from infancy — they are better set up for academic and intellectual success thanks to the type of parenting they experience.
There's an old theory that says first-born babies were genetically predispositioned to look more like their father. It was believed this was so the father accepted the child was his and would provide and care for them.
Your success in life may be influenced by your birth order, according to the economist Sandra E. Black. Black points to research she and her colleagues have conducted that found that firstborns tend to be smarter, richer, and all-around more successful than their younger siblings.
Half say their parents preferred the youngest sibling, just over a quarter (27%) the eldest and a fifth (22%) the middle child. This is similar to what parents with a preference disclosed. Parents who say they have a preference seem unfussed by gender, with the split being roughly equal between boys and girls.
Families rarely talk about this, but research shows that many parents do, in fact, have a favorite and least favorite child. And more often than not, their kids are wrong about who is who.
Forget the terrible twos and prepare for the hateful eights ‒ parents have named age 8 as the most difficult age to parent, according to new research. Eight being the troublesome year likely comes as a surprise to many parents, especially since parents polled found age 6 to be easier than they expected.
Some people believe that middle children are often ignored or neglected, which can have negative effects going into adulthood. While some research suggests that there may be some influence on personality from birth order, the results are contradictory, and more research is needed.
You've probably heard it before and brushed it off if you're a second, third or fourth+ child - but it's true: the eldest sibling is the smartest, according to research. And there's not just one reason for it. Apparently, there are a few.
Whilst parents may not intend to treat sons and daughters differently, research shows that they do. Sons appear to get preferential treatment in that they receive more helpful praise, more time is invested in them, and their abilities are often thought of in higher regard.
Parental favoritism is when one or both parents display consistent favoritism toward one child over another. It can include more time spent together, less discipline, and more privileges. As a parent, we usually try to remain neutral and treat all of our children equally. But that task is a lot harder than it sounds.
Toddlers favoring one parent over the other is very common! Parent favoritism is often the result of feeling more connected to the parent they spend more time with. It can also be a personality thing, or a toddler exercising their independence.
The researchers believe this is due to social comparison, with younger siblings placing more emphasis on comparing themselves to their older siblings. "It's not that first-borns don't ever think about their siblings and themselves in reference to them," says BYU School of Family Life assistant professor Alex Jensen.
So, it's no wonder a mama is her child's first love.
First protector, provider, and safe place. She's the first one he calls when he's homesick or when he needs some straightening out. She's the first to know when he gets the job or when he's met the one he'll marry. A mama is truly blessed by firsts.
However, if the older sibling felt they were the favorite, it actually had no effect on their bond with their parents. So basically younger children are more likely to perceive their parents prefer them, and then everyone around them believes it is true. That's how the baby becomes the favorite.