It's an unspoken parenting rule that you should never have a favorite child. If you're a parent with more than one kid, we all know that telling one kid they're your "favorite" is just cruel. But, many parents tend to joke around with their kids about it— not being 100% serious, of course.
Mom On TikTok Faces Backlash For Hinting She Has A 'Favorite' Child
However, it turns out, most parents do have a favorite child.
Unsplash | Alexander Dummer
According to research, most parents do happen to have a favorite child out of all of their children. Why? It's not super simple.
Experts say a number of reasons determine a "favorite."
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Sometimes, the favorite can change (like the seasons). Other times, it has to do with how the child reflects the parent (personality and such). Overall, it has to do with how much a parent "likes" their child.
Regardless, most parents won't admit if they actually do have a favorite.
Unsplash | Nik Shuliahin
Studies say parents feel "guilty" and are worried of the negative impacts on their kids if they were ever to admit they have a favorite.
Which is exactly why one mom recently got a ton of backlash on TikTok after admitting she has a "favorite."
Mom and TikTok user @oliviamsmith33 recently made a video joking around that she does indeed have a favorite child.
While the text on the screen read one thing, her face said another.
While the text on the video said, "Tell me you have a favorite child without telling me you have a favorite child," the mom zoomed in on her son, hinting that he's her favorite.
However, the caption on the video said the mom was, "Joking, of course."
Regardless of what she says about it being a joke, many people on TikTok left comments slamming the mom for her inability to realize how this can impact her children.
One person said it will impact his relationship with his siblings.
The TikTok user said he'll "have this in his head" and the rest of his siblings will dislike him, whether it was a joke or not.
Another said it was straight up toxic.
One person said, "Ahhhh yesss the old slapping 'it's a joke' on toxicity and things that will cause trauma." It seems that this user felt there should be no jokes when it comes to this topic.
Another shared her own trauma.
One user said "As someone who was definitely not the favorite and was told that without being told that, this is so hurtful to your other kids."
Do you think it was crossing a line?
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