While it's difficult to definitively say which child is usually the favorite, research suggests a trend in parental preference, particularly in larger families.
According to research:
- Last-born children are often favored: Forty-three percent of parents with three or more children favor their youngest child.
- Middle children are sometimes favored: Approximately a third of parents favor their middle child.
- Eldest children are least often favored: Only 19% of parents with three or more children favor their eldest.
Therefore, while parental favoritism varies greatly between families and individuals, in families with three or more children, the youngest child is most often cited as the "favorite" by the parents themselves.
