What Child Do Parents Love More? The Honest, Messy Truth

Do Parents Secretly Have a Favorite?

Alright, let’s dive in. You’ve probably wondered (or even asked yourself): do parents actually love one child more? Well… it’s complicated.

The official, polite answer most parents give is: “Of course not! I love all my kids equally.” But come on, let’s be real here. I was talking to my friend Emily last weekend (she’s a mom of three, poor woman barely sleeps), and she laughed and said, “There are days when one of them is definitely easier to love.” And that hit me hard.

Because love isn’t always symmetrical. Sometimes it’s tangled up with personality clashes, timing, or even plain old stress.

Factors That Influence Parental Preference

Birth Order: Does It Really Matter?

There’s this common belief that parents favor the youngest because they’re “the baby” or the oldest because they were “first.” But actually, studies show it’s less about order and more about the dynamics.

For example, Emily told me she often feels closer to her middle child, not because she decided that, but because their personalities just click better. Meanwhile, her youngest is in a phase where everything is tantrums (you can imagine), so yeah, the affection flows less smoothly some days.

Personality Compatibility

This one fascinates me. You know how sometimes you just get along better with certain people, even in your own family? Same with parents and kids.

I remember once thinking my mom favored my brother. I even sulked over it. Years later, I realized: they just had more in common. They were both artsy, loved gardening, while I was the bookish introvert. It wasn’t about love — it was about connection.

The Emotional Rollercoaster: Love Isn’t Static

Day-to-Day Shifts

Here’s something I hadn’t really thought about until recently: parental love isn’t this fixed thing. It fluctuates, day by day, moment by moment. One day you’re the hero; the next day you’re the kid who just broke the TV.

I asked Emily, “Do you feel more love for one child consistently?” She hesitated and then said, “Honestly, it changes. Depends who’s needing me, who’s pushing me away, who’s making me laugh.” That raw answer made me rethink everything.

Guilt and Self-Awareness

Parents often feel guilty about their feelings. If they sense they’re favoring one child, they overcompensate. (I’ve seen this with my aunt, who confessed over dinner once that she’d bend over backwards for her quiet daughter because she feared neglecting her compared to the loud, demanding son.)

Can Children Sense a Favorite?

Oh boy, yes. Kids are sharp. They pick up on body language, attention, even tone of voice.

I’ll admit something here: as a kid, I once staged a little “test.” I told my parents two different stories — one to Mom, one to Dad — just to see who’d react more. Looking back, that was probably a bit sneaky (and immature), but it shows how much kids crave proof of being loved.

Final Thoughts: It’s Not About Who’s Loved More

So here’s where I’ve changed my mind. I started this article thinking it was about which child parents love more. But now? I see it’s really about how love is expressed, and how messy, dynamic, and imperfect that can be.

Parents, you’re human. Kids, you’re perceptive. And all of us? We’re navigating relationships that aren’t clean-cut or perfectly balanced. And maybe — just maybe — that’s okay.

If you’ve ever wondered where you stand in the family love ranking (yeah, we’ve all done it), remember: love isn’t a scoreboard. It’s a messy, ongoing dance. And you’re part of it, even on the days you feel sidelined.

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The predicted height for a female, based on your parents heights, is 155 to 165cm. Most 15 year old girls are nearly done growing. I was too. It's a very normal height for a girl.

Is 160 cm too tall for a 12 year old?

How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).

How tall is a average 15 year old?

Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years

How to get taller at 18?

Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.

Is 5.7 a good height for a 15 year old boy?

Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).

Can you grow between 16 and 18?

Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.

Can you grow 1 cm after 17?

Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.