So there are these cute videos on Reels and Tiktok where both parents stand on either side of the child and count to three- then they run in opposite directions and wait to see who the child follows.
And it’s this cute little trend that everyone gets a little laugh from when the child hurries after the same parent every time.
But…
It stops being so funny when it keeps happening over and over again.
It can sting a bit to see your child light up every evening when their other parent walks through the door after they spent the day screaming their head off.
Why do they turn into this sweet little cherub for their other parent?
Or watching them sweetly cuddle up on their lap during family movie night while slowly scooting you away with their foot? Like- what the heck?
You might put on a brave face and smile but jeez does it suck sometimes to feel like the other parent is the favorite!
But what if it’s flipped? Maybe you’re the favorite parent right now and you’re worried that your partner might be a bit hurt about it and you’re not sure what to do.
It’s not like you can shun your child’s love (don’t do that lol).
Don’t worry.
The good news is that parental preference and love aren’t the same things. They might prefer the other parent more, but it’s not a competition of love.
In this episode, I’m going to break down exactly what’s happening developmentally when your child seems to be picking favorites and how you can handle with (without trying to bribe your child to love you more).
We’ve discussed this in the past and it’s always helped parents to know what’s going on in their child’s brain when this happens so they can stop overthinking about why the other parent is “better” and start focusing on what really matters.
So let’s chat about your child seeming to like their other parent more (or why they seem to have latched on to you).
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