Gino, don’t favour just one child!

WHAT was Gino D’Acampo thinking when he admitted his nine-year-old daughter Mia was his favourite child? The TV chef also has two sons. Admitting to having a favourite is — rightly — taboo for parents. But while he might have broken a cardinal rule by saying it out loud, I’m sure plenty of people would sympathise in private.

I think it’s quite common for parents to have, if not exactly a favourite, then at least one child they tend to understand or get on with better than the others. Children all have different attributes and it’s understandable that a parent will find it easier to get along with one more than another, just as they would with any selection of people. Even though you’re related, it doesn’t mean you automatically find being a parent to all your children equally easy. The trick is to never let this show, as the damage it can do is considerable. While you may struggle to connect with one child, it’s a parent’s role to prove that you love them all equally.