The Today Show this morning had a discussion as to whether parents are genetically disposed to favor one child over the others in a family. Since I am the mother of an only child, and grandmother of an only grandchild,there was never any question who was the favorite in my family. Andrea and Adam won, hands down.
But I am the younger daughter in a two child family, and the question of which of us was my Dad's favorite did come up once. Both my sister and I were adults with children and grandchildren of our own when I found myself sitting on a therapist's couch one day. I was in the midst of a divorce and had been advised that a visit to a therapist might be helpful. In her efforts to find out more about me, she asked about my relationship with my father, and did I think he had a favorite between his two daughters.
My response was immediate. "I was his favorite. I always knew Dad favored me."
The therapist suggested that I ask my sister the same question, and I called her up as soon as I returned home. "Did Dad have a favorite between you and me" I queried, quite sure that she would agree that it was me. Her response was as immediate as mine had been. "Absolutely. I was always his favorite," she said.
Well, what do you know. My father, who never attended a child psychology class or was probably even aware of how he managed to do it,had somehow convinced both his daughters that they were his absolute favorite. Probably the best gift a parent could offer a child.
My "children" these days are named Wasabi and Ginger, and I'm feeling a little guilty. I'm afraid I've been showing favoritism. I'll have to work on that.
On a more serious note, gives you something to think about, doesn't it????
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Photo caption: The Sisters. . .then and now.
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