Jackson is the favourite right now because the is fulfilling Ellie's emotional needs. This is a classic sign of Narcissism. Narcissists will neglect their children's emotional needs, but will expect the child to fulfill their own needs to the extent that a partner would. This is not normal and healthy support, and is abusive. I know there are plenty of people here that may not agree, so I'll link one of the many articles that mentions this tendency...
http://www.okfreud.com/how-exactly-narc ... -children/
Below is the excerpt that I feel touches on this:
3. They parentify their children
In an article from
www.psychcentral.com called ‘Harming your child by making him your parent’, parentification is explained as the process of turning a child into a parent.
In other words, the needs of the child are sacrificed in order for the parent to fulfill his own needs.
‘In parentification the parent gives up what they are supposed to do as a parent and transfers that responsibility to one or more of their children. Hence the child becomes parentified’. (Minuchin, Montalvo, Guerney, Rosman, & Schumer, 1967).
Examples of parentification:
-the child needs to listen to his mother’s emotional problems or struggles as a mother or wife;
-the child needs to encourage the mother when she is in a low point in her life, thinking it is his responsibility to do so;
-the child takes over the duties of the adults in the parental home and starts cleaning, cooking or taking care of his younger siblings.