A study from Rutgers University, published in Personality and Individual Differences, suggests that children can affect their parents' relationship in unexpected ways. While parenting often strains couples, the researchers found that having a daughter may instead strengthen the bond between partners.
The key factor appears to be the father's behavior. Fathers of daughters were observed to be more attentive partners, which may help explain why these couples report greater closeness. The study adds to a growing body of research on how children's gender shapes family dynamics.
Since this is a single source, there are no conflicting findings to compare. The authors note the effect is notable but do not claim it applies to every family, leaving room for further investigation into the mechanisms behind the pattern.