A father-of-two from Calgary found himself at the centre of a media storm last week after admitting that he has a favourite child. Buzz Bishop, a daddy blogger and radio DJ, faced a backlash from parents around the world after writing a post titled 'Admit It, You Have A Favorite Kid. I Do'.
"If I were to be absolutely honest, my older son is my favorite of the two," he wrote. "He and I are adventurous partners in crime, and I can't imagine life without him."
Pointing out that he doesn't give five-year-old son Zacharie preferential treatment over two-year-old Charlie, Mr Bishop admitted liking his eldest better because "he can do more things".
"To me he's more fun," he added. "I don't love either of my sons more than the other, but I do like them differently. I'd be willing to bet you're the same." His comments sparked huge debate. While some parents were quick to praise Mr Bishop for his honesty, many were greatly angered by his comments. "It's one thing for you to think it, it's another for you to say it out loud," Laurie Boyle McGeary, a mother from New York, wrote. "Their abilities will change with time and so will your 'likes', but what won't change is you posting that you like one son over the other. Words you put in print can not be taken back."
It seems Mr Bishop has broken the great unspoken rule of parenting - openly showing a preference for one child over another. But, he argues, if everyone is thinking it, why is it taboo to talk about it? "Parents should be allowed to openly discuss their struggles with parenting without being labelled the worst person in the world," he said. In his book, The Sibling Effect, Jeffrey Kluger claims that "95 per cent of parents in the world have a favorite child - and the other five per cent are lying."
"But when it comes to family favourites there's definitely something to be said for the parental code of silence," he adds. Perhaps Mr Bishop's gender is to blame for his brutal honesty. Some commentators have questioned whether a mother would ever openly - and so publicly - admit to having a favourite child. For her part, Mr Bishop's wife Jennifer is standing by her man. "I know where he's coming from, and I know he loves them both the same," she said. "I have a favourite to go shopping with, I have a favorite at nighttime. I have a favorite in the morning wake up… I have more favourite activities with each kid as opposed to saying I have a favourite kid."
What do you think about Mr Bishop's comments? Do you have a favourite child? Let us know your thoughts below.