It’s a controversial debate among grandparents, as many argue you shouldn’t play favourites with grandchildren – but some have now admitted they do prefer one, whether they make it known to them or not.
According to a study by grandparenting forum Gransnet – who teamed up with Mumsnet for the research – 42 per cent of users confessed to having a favourite grandchild, while 23 per cent of users on mumsnet said the same.
The study of 2,000 users showed a sharp generational difference however, as more grandparents allegedly preferred their eldest grandchild – whereas 56 per cent of parents preferred a younger sibling.
There could be a number of reasons for the different views, whether grandparents have a nostalgic love for the child who first made them a grandparent, or they find one child more loving or affectionate than their siblings.
The forums also stated that humour played a part in the results, with half of parents and 58 per cent of grandparents admitting to preferring the child that made them laugh the most.
Read more: Is it wrong to have a favourite grandchild?
However, the admissions didn’t come lightly, and half of Mumsnet (55 per cent) and Gransnet (50 per cent) users agree having a favourite is “awful”, and the majority think it’s harmful for the favourite’s siblings. Only a very small number of those asked said the kids were aware of it at all.
Founder Justine Roberts said: “Favouritism is one of the last taboos and can provoke a lot of guilt, so it’s important to say that feeling a greater affinity for a particular child – often, whichever one is willing to put their shoes on – is fairly common, and doesn’t have to be disastrous.
“Toxic favouritism, where siblings become aware of being treated unfairly over the long term, is a whole other ball game. The distilled Mumsnet wisdom on this issue is that lots of parents like their children differently: the crucial thing is to love them all wholly.”
While most grandparents would probably suggest that they love all their grandbabies equally, past studies have also suggested that the opposite might be the truth – and the same can be said for parents.
A recent report by the Daily Mail found that 74 per cent of mothers admitted to liking one of their children more than the others. The results were similar for fathers, with 70 per cent confessing the same.