More than two in five (43%) Brits are convinced their mother has a favourite child it has emerged ahead of Mother’s Day.
Nearly a quarter of mums (23%) have admitted that they do have a favourite but 30% don’t believe it’s them.
Mums reveal (40%) that their favouritism is based on the child most similar to them and the telltale signs are talking more about one child than another (33%), acting favourably by cooking their favourite dinner more often (32%), or having more photos of her favourite child (20%).
The knock-on effect of such behaviour is that a quarter (23%) of 25-34 year olds surveyed admitted that thinking their mum has a favourite child makes them more competitive with their sibling.
Nearly a third of Brits (32%) agree they’d try to buy the most thoughtful gift in an attempt to win top points on Mother’s Day, according to the new statistics revealed by Moonpig.
Flowers also top the list of favourite Mother’s Day gifts (58%) as mums said it was because they make them feel loved (51%) or it shows their children care (28%).
Psychologist and relationship expert Jo Hemmings said family dynamics can lead to both tension and accusations of favouritism on Mother’s Day.
She said: “It’s natural for there to be competition amongst siblings, it’s almost a rite of passage for children with an older or younger brother or sister, as many children don’t want to think they are not the favourite, and Mother’s Day tends to bring these emotions into the spotlight.
“Often a mum’s favourite will be a child with similarities in personality to their own – sometimes even the child who most reminds them of their younger self, as 40% of Mums in Moonpig’s research confirmed. The first born, with all the newness and excitement that goes with that, can make some mums feel that they are a favourite, as does the youngest child, the ‘baby’ that needs the most protection.
“However, those mums who admit to having a favourite recognise that their love for each of their children is not compromised, it’s just that they can like one more than the others at certain times in their lives.
“Of course, siblings, who often jostle for pole position in their mum’s eyes are going to do their best to come up top on this day in particular, so it’s no surprise that almost a third of Brits (32%) admitted they’d attempt to put forward the most thoughtful gift in efforts to win brownie points with Mum on Mother’s Day.”
For those who don’t think they are the favourite child, a total of 44% of mums claimed their favourite child can change over time and comes down to factors including calling or visiting her more regularly.
Research also reveals the phenomenon of the “mummy’s boy” may also be true, with more men (24%) claiming they are their mothers’ favourite, while females didn’t back themselves quite as much (17%).
Moonpig has launched the Ultimate Favourite Child bouquet to win over mums through a carefully curated selection of stems to celebrate the occasion.
