text: A mother of two has openly admitted she prefers her younger son boy and says the special bond is caused by his 'special smell' - and sniffs him all the time. Amie Cox, 33, of Victoria made the ready admission of the sensory bond she has for son Alex, 5, over her older boy William, 7, while appearing on an SBS Insight programme about sibling rivalry. Since her revelations surfaced on the Insight website, Ms Cox told Daily Mail Australia she has been attacked and been called 'a freak', but that she is 'a normal loving Mum'. She said that the bond with Alex's scent began from the first moment she held him after giving birth and that for the first six to 12 months of his life she didn't want anyone else to touch him or 'rub their smell on him' because it would interfere with his unique and special smell. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Amie Cox, 33, of Victoria, and her two sons, five-year-old Alex (left) with whom she says she has 'a special smell connection' and sniffs him 'all the time' and William, 7, who she says is more easygoing and has a normal relationship with his younger brother and she loves both boys equally . Since revelations about how she prefers the smell of her younger boy Alex, Amie Cox says she has been attacked on the SBS Insight website, but says he is a 'normal loving Mum' who treats her boys equally and older son William also thinks his brother Alex has 'a special smell' Amie Cox said she bonded to younger son Alex (pictured, right, with his brother William, 7) so strongly after his birth that she 'didn't like people to rub their smell on him by touching him' and that continued for his first six to 12 months, although she is now used to it . Ms Cox's revelations came to light during the taping of the programme when the studio audience was asked whether they had a clear preference for one child over another. Ms Cox didn't hesitate to answer 'Alex'. When the audience and SBS presenters reacted with amusement to her swift reply, Ms Cox said 'People have already ... you can't say that,' she said shrugging. 'If you said choose one to live or die, I wouldn't be able too ... like I love them equally. 'But Alex has a smell that he's had since he was born. I sniff him all the time. There's some sort of smell connection.' The Insight programme is based on research of modern families which shows sibling interactions can have a vital role in teaching children valuable social and life skills, as well as in shaping personality and behaviour. But, the programme researchers said, siblings also routinely get stuck into each other. 'Parents may see this rivalry as part and parcel of the sibling experience, however there is a growing body of research that links early sibling aggression with serious ongoing learning and mental health problems,' Insight says. Amie Cox says five-year-old Alex (left) who has the special smell which she appreciates because of the science of pheromones is 'a terror' while his brother William, 7 (centre) is more easygoing but both boys get the same amount of toys and love and she is a normal mother despite being attacked online as 'a freak' The 33-year-old said attacks on her for admitting she is very attracted to her younger son's scent are 'water off a duck's back' and that 'it doesn't bother me' because she is a good mother who gives her older son William just as many hugs as she does Alex . 'Are such disputes unavoidable, and do tensions always persist into adulthood?' Insight asks 'if competition and conflict between siblings is a good thing, and whether favouritism can affect this.' Ms Cox told Daily Mail Australia that she treats her sons equally and that her older son William also has appreciation for Alex's scent. 'William has the same smell connection with Alex as I do,' she said. 'It's about the science behind pheromones. 'They were on the couch the other day and William said "Alex, isn't his skin so soft and he smells so nice" and of course Alex said get off me. 'Alex is the terror. He's feisty and opinionated like me, while William is well behaved very easygoing and has a different personality. 'They still fight, but there's nothing vicious or violent about it. 'They are like puppies or tiger cubs. They're rowdy, but they're not particularly competitive.' The program also explores how this plays out in families from a culture where there is a hierarchical or gender preference. Guests , sisters Jen Paull and Melanie Colwell described how their perceptions of who was the family favourite affected their relationship with their parents. ' I'd describe her as a role model to me. I grew up basically wanting everything that she had,' Ms Paull said of her sister. 'I don’t think my parents knew how good they had it until they had Jenny,' said Ms Colwell. Brothers Nick and Tom Inatey said their relationship growing up was not competitive. 'We're not the two that are going to go out in the backyard and beat one or the other at . spor,' Nick said of Tom, saying his brother was 'hopeless' at sport. Tom readily agreed, 'Absolutely. That's very true.' Celia Harrison, who is the mother of twins said of her children, 'they’ll compete about who’s got the most cereal in a bowl and they’re measuring glasses to make sure someone doesn’t have more milk that the other one' INSIGHT: Siblings Showdown - Tuesday 7 April, 8.30pm, repeat Wednesday 3.30pm on SBS ONE .
target: A mother of two  admits she has a favourite child because of his smell .
  Amie Cox says son Alex has had ' a smell since he was born'
  She says 'there's some sort of smell connection' with him .
  She loves him and his brother equally but Alex is the special one .
  Amie says she couldn't choose one over another to live or die but favours Alex .
  The 33-year-old says she is being attacked and called 'a freak' but she's 'a normal loving Mum'
  SBS Insight programme asks if sibling rivalry might lead to learning and mental health problems and whether family favouritism makes this worse .