Flynn, my youngest squidlet asked me today "Which one of us is your favourite mum?"
It's a question he frequently throws out there, usually after he has either done something he's not supposed to do... like pinching a gum ball or ten from his brother's prized stash, or... he has done something exceptionally kind, like sharing his brother's prized stash of gum balls with the needy - AKA ALL the kids in the neighbourhood.
I refuse to be dragged into his childish interrogation... I mean he knows as well as his brothers do that my response will always be the same - "My favourite is whichever one of you is the best behaved"...
unless of cause they are all being turds and then I don't particularly like any of them all that much.
I can tell by the eye rolling that I get from my kids that my answer to the favourites question is so totally predictable... but really, what are we supposed to do when asked something that ridiculous? Lie and say "I don't have a favourite, you are all my favourites, or admit the simple truth which is that I have a genuine soft spot for the kid that is responsible for the least amount of damage to my sanity on any given day.
Favourites shmavourites.
Seriously, why do people think that playing favourites is such a parental crime?
I've been accused of favouritism by at least three out of three of my kids and I'm OK with it... I mean they have a choice... there's like a lot of stuff that they could do that would rig the rankings in their favour.
I know us mums are supposed to be neutral and like all of our offspring fairly and equally and all that, but come on...
Does anyone really stick to that rule?
I 'm pretty sure its is very un P.C and probably morally incorrect too to play favourites amongst your kids, but how could you possibly like the child who just burped like a hippo in the chemist in front of some lovely oldish people who only minutes earlier were smiling wistfully upon him, more than you like the one who is sitting quietly, picking his nose and not making a scene?
And how on earth could you ever be expected to pick the kid who just grabbed a handful of his brother's hair in front of a warehouse full of people who have arrived at your work for a lovely day of peaceful crafting?
And seriously, is it even remotely reasonable to expect that I like the teenager (who after rising at midday greeted me with nothing more than a bleary eyed grunt) more than the kid who is telling me how pretty I am whilst handing me my wallet?
What? He was complimentary and helpful. I'll take what I can get!
No... wait... correct that. He was my fave of the day before he just milked me of a tenner for pack of frozen prawns to feed the fish with.
OK OK, I do really love them all as much as each other, we all do about our kids right? But let's just accept the reality that even though we always love them, it doesn't necessarily mean we have to like them all the same all of the time too.
Right?
Right!
Anyone else have a child who cannot control their burps?
Have you been asked the favourite question?