Yesterday, I got my daughter a new bed. She has been urging me and her dad for a new one these past months.

As soon as it was delivered to our home, I made the bed at once, put on the cover, fluffed the pillows and stretched out on it to test its comfort. Umm…really cozy…

When my son got home and saw the new bed, he complained: “My bed is now a decade old. How come you don’t change it too? Why is it that Gem  always gets everything she wants, while me and ‘Kuya’ (elder brother) don’t?”

Oh, God. I was struck. My mind made an instant flashback to the past weeks, months and years. And yes, I realized, my daughter has been having most of the attention in the family. Well, I guess it is easy to say that she is a girl, and the only one  at that - which may be  a good excuse for her being pampered and spoiled at times. But still, the ‘guilt button’ has been pressed.

I hate it when people ask me “who is your favorite child?” For me, there should be no such thing as favorite child… All children have special qualities of their own that endear them to their parents. 

Yet in some cases, it is inevitable that parents do favor a particular child more than the others. This does not mean however, that they should love their other kids less.

But I understand, with or without the intention of playing favorites, I should manifest my love to my children equally. I admit my daughter has been having more than her brothers, and I have to correct this. She maybe the ‘princess’ in the family, but this does not place her at a better advantage over her siblings.

And yes… at the soonest possible time… I am getting my son his new bed.