Hola all! Want to give you a quick heads up. Good Enough Mother will be layin’ it down, as the young kids say, on Anderson today. The topic: Do parents play favorites?
Now you KNOW how I feel about that and if you don’t, you can go here to find out. But honestly I’m not sure when it became so chic to write/talk about not liking your own kids. Of course, I write about how mine sometimes make me nuts and how the parenting experience occasionally leaves a bit to be desired but never, in a hundred-thousand years, would I write about not liking or loving my kids.
So it’s against that backdrop that I provide my thoughts on Anderson today. Here’s a quick preview.
Make sure you check your local listings and let’s chat about this on my Facebook page and Twitter too.
So what do you think? Do parents play favorites? Did yours? Do you? Do you think that impacts a child long term?
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since i can’t watch today and didn’t dvr hopefully we’ll get the link so we can watch on-line…looks good gem!!!!!!!
Way to go Rene!!!
Yes, I just saw you. Lookin’ good! I’m not getting in this interminable debate (I was an only). I’ll just say (1) The squeaky wheel gets the oil, and (2) We tend to like (love is a whole different ballgame) people most like ourselves and I don’t mean just gender.
You were so correct on AC today! Having been the “named” first-born favorite child of my late mother caused so many scars with my sibling and even my father. Yes, the title had its advantages at times, but in the long run…very sad in how things worked out.
@Karol: Thanks! Look I’m not naive.. I know some parents have favorites. The point I was trying to make is that not ALL of us do or are lying about it. I’m sorry I’m not a freak because I don’t favor one child over the other. The other issue I had with this is I think it’s time for the parents to figure out WHY they feel that way. It’s not enough to say, “I just do” especially when it has the potential to do this kind of harm.
You’re exactly right.
There were four of us kids growing up. Ten years between the oldest and the youngest. My mom and dad treated all of us children with respect and embraced our individuality. At times it may have felt like one sibling was favored over the other, but in fact that child may have needed more emotionally at the time. When I went to High School my mom told me I did not have to follow in my older brother’s footsteps. She told me to be my own person, that she loved me for me and him for him.
Now that I am an adult with two children of my own, I try to instill in them the wisdom my mom and dad gave me. (Of course I always knew I was the favorite! LOL)
You were magnificent, very honest – loved it.
I watched the show– that’s to say, I watched the segments that included GEM– and found the discussion quite interesting. It got me to thinking about my own childhood and adulthood relationships with my parents, brother and sister.
When our family was all together, I can’t say that I really sensed any favoritism displayed by either of my parents toward any of us kids. But, once my parents split up, things changed a bit, particularly with my late father. I won’t publish details, but suffice it to say that I think there were many instances over the years when I felt like he favored one of his children over the others, though he would NEVER admit it. In fact, he would often articulate that what he did for one, he did for the other two. But, that was not always the case. And, post his passing, I have found evidence to support my thoughts. It’s not something that I can let bother me, certainly since Dad is gone from this life. But, the notion that some parents play favorites with their kids is certainly legitimate. Unfortunate, but legitimate.
I thought GEM was on point with Anderson and his other guests. Good discussion. It really gave me something to think about and reflect upon.