Take note… Dad- you are NOT the babysitter …
Sometimes I just have to laugh. I guess I don’t really get it. Becky and I both work from home, we both take care of the kids and the house. When Becky takes the four kids out, people say things like “You’ve got your hands full” or “Wow- are they all yours?”
Yet, when someone sees me out with the kids, I’m immediately praised for “babysitting” the kids. I hear “What a great dad!” or “You are so great to babysit your kids today.”
Really?
It’s not that I’m not happy to hear the praise… bring it on… but it does seem a little one-sided. When people tell Becky that it’s “so nice that Mickey helps you like he does” and she smiles a nods, I know she wants to say “What do you mean helps me? We’re in this together. It’s called being a parent.”
When Becky is busy taking Allie to dance and I have the other kids at home… it’s not babysitting.
When I take the kids to the playground while she cleans the house … it’s not babysitting.
When I take the kids outside to play while she cooks dinner… it’s not babysitting.
When I have the kids at one son’s lacrosse practice so she can finish writing an article… it’s not babsitting.
When the roles are reversed… she’s not babysitting. No one would think she was, so why do they think I am? Why can’t I just be involved because I’m a dad.
It’s not babysitting.
It’s parenting. And I’m a parent.
What are your thoughts on Parenting vs Babysitting? You can weigh in at Squash The Beef. You can share your opinions on the topic. Squash the Beef is a new social media platform. It allows you to express your views in a respectful way and have others join in on the discussion. It lets you voice your concern & dispute and gives you a place to “settle the score”, via public input.
You can sign up to post a BEEF (Opposing viewpoints about a given subject. Users are invited to post their “beef” and send a message to the person with whom they have a disagreement. The individual with whom they have a disagreement is then is notified and invited to create a log in and post his or her side of the disagreement. The community then reads the “beef” and can comment and vote for the party’s post they agree with the most. Results are displayed in a “Tug of War” format, which showcases real-time back and forth debate.) Or you can sign up to post a Rant & Rave: Express your thoughts, opinions and frustrations on your chosen subject and gauge feedback from others.
Now head over to Squash The Beef and weigh in on if you think dad’s should stop being called the babysitter, but instead be called the parent.
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Great post! My husband says he “deals” with the kids which drives me crazy! The problem with saying you “baby sit” the kids is that you helped create them which makes dads just as responsible for their care as the moms. But I think moms are just as culpable as dads with the “baby sitting” mind set. Can’t wait to read more!
Well put!