Design for Life: How do I stop my father playing favourites?

This week, Colman Noctor advises a reader on how to help her children avoid being defined by the labels assigned to them by their grandfather

While Grandad may have favourites and attempt to undermine others, you can teach your children that they are perfectly entitled to stand up for themselves in these instances and use their assertive voices

Dear Expert,

Is there any way to make the person you love stop playing favourites? I am from a large family and, growing up, my father had a habit of telling all of us what we were in his opinion. One of us was “the scholar”, another was “the beauty” and so on. We learned to ignore this, although it undoubtedly played a part in shaping us.

He also had a habit of playing favourites. ...