Who is your Favourite Child?

My reply would have to be "None of your business".   I don't have a favourite child out of my four, whoever is behaving the best and giving me less grief is my favourite and believe me that changes on a minute by minute basis!   I am sure they meet daily, unbeknown to me, to decide on ways to push the boundaries and take me to the edge of hysteria each day.   But that said, I LOVE them all equally, I may not LIKE them all equally, but that is a completely different kettle of fish!!

Unfortunately Buzz Bishop from Vancouver Canada, when blogging about his children expressed his preference for his eldest son over his youngest, this has caused a great deal of consternation and loads of comments, mostly condemning him for his declaration.

http://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/%E2%80%9Ci-do-not-play-favourites%E2%80%9D-says-dad-criticised-for-naming-favourite-child-on-his-blog.html?bcmt_s=m#ugccmt-container

Whilst I understand his point of view, some things are best left unsaid/unwritten.   Have a favourite child if you wish, but it is your responsibility as a parent to ensure all your children are treated equally.   Mine are always saying "so and so is your favourite" I just agree with them, nipping it in the bud, there is no point arguing with them, in their heads they are always right.   The next day the "so called" favourite will have overstepped the mark and after being told off will claim that his/her sibling is my favourite.   Damned if you do/Damned if you don't!

When they have all grown up and fled the nest I am applying for a peacekeeping job at the United Nations, I think by then I will have the well-honed skills of a diplomat trying to get warring factions to agree to a compromise!!!

My children are on loan to me, it is my job to bring them up to be compassionate, considerate and well-balanced adults, sometimes this entails having to enforce draconian measures (have you ever tried to confiscate a teenagers' Ipod?!!) but I am their Mum not their friend.   They have loads of friends now and will have in the future.   When they are adults out in the big wide scary world, I hope they will look back and acknowledge, if only to themselves, that I have done the best I could and then, maybe, I will be lucky enough to be counted as one of their friends, but until then I will have to come up with more hiding places for the confiscated electronic equipment!!!!!