HOW TO TELL IF YOU ARE (OR AREN’T) YOUR PARENTS’ FAVORITE CHILD

A study out of Brigham Young University, analyzing data from over 19,400 participants, concludes that parents do indeed treat their children differently, and the way they choose their “favorites” is more systematic than you might think. Here are some of the findings:
– Both mothers and fathers tend to favor daughters.
– Parents give more favorable treatment to children who demonstrate responsibility and organization in their daily lives, from completing homework on time to keeping their rooms tidy.
– Parents tend to grant older siblings more autonomy.
– Children who demonstrate responsibility through behaviors like completing chores without reminders or planning ahead for school assignments typically experience more positive interactions and fewer conflicts with parents.
– While parents acknowledged treating daughters more favorably, children themselves didn’t report noticing significant gender-based differences in treatment. This suggests that some aspects of parental favoritism operate so subtly that children may not consciously recognize them.
* Wait – let me see if I have this right: Parents yell less at kids who do what they are told? Why is this just now coming to light?
* If you want to be your parents’ favorite, don’t start a fire in your bedroom. Trust me.
* Brigham Young University studied 19,400 participants. That’s like, what, six Mormon families?
* I was not my parents’ favorite kid. And I was an only child.