Parental favouritism

Favouritism is a common phenomenon in many households. It may not represent a difference in the love parents feel, but it can look and feel that way to a child. A study titled “Mothers’ Differentiation and Depressive Symptoms Among Adult Children” found that siblings who sensed that their mother consistently favoured or rejected one child over another were more likely to exhibit depression in middle age. True, it may not be possible to treat every child equally because they are all different. But what parents can, and must, do is treat their children with compassion and fairness, by meeting all of their requirements.

Rabeya Hashmi, by email