Do you have more patience for another person's child?
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
United States
September 14, 2007 9:54am CST
So, do you think it's easier dealing with another person's child, rather than your own, like when you are babysitting for a family member? Or, would you prefer dealing with your children rather than another person's child?
Even though my little kid can be high energy and high maintenance, I never have a problem dealing with her. Maybe because I know what her moods and signals mean, so there are rarely crossed-wires in our communications.
With someone else's child, I wouldn't know why they were crying or upset or throwing a tantrum, so it would be harder to get them to calm down. So, I try to avoid babysitting whenever possible. How about you? Do you show more patience toward another person's child? Or, give them special privileges just because they are a guest in your home?
3 people like this
12 responses
@moneyandgc (3428)
• United States
15 Sep 07
I think I have a lot of patience for other people's children. I would much rather deal with my own children though. Other kids tend to get on my nerves faster but I don't take it out on them. I think I am willing to put up with a whole lot more from my kids because they are mine. I know how to deal with them.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157546)
• United States
15 Sep 07
I did not babysit until my youngest was three. I always found it much easier to deal with my own kids than anyone else's. Of course I am prejudiced, but they just seemed nicer to me all the way around. I was a home daycare provider for a number of seasons, but I did find that I would reach burn out at the end of summer, when I had had school age children for months and months. My kids were very easy for me, and easy to discipline and get to behave. Easy to entertain as they loved books and the library. Mine were not so easy.
1 person likes this
@carlaabt (3504)
• United States
15 Sep 07
I think I have about the same amount of patience for other kids and my own. I would be more willing to let another child have a second chance at something after I told them no than I would my own child. But my son knows what his boundaries are and knows better than to push them. I wouldn't necessarily know what boundaries the other kids' parents had set up.
If I was watching a child, I would make sure and talk to the parents before I agreed to watch them, though. I would need to know what kind of discipline they used and what kind of things they were and weren't allowed to eat, watch, etc. That would make it much easier to treat those kids the same as my own.
1 person likes this
@sunshine4 (8703)
• United States
14 Sep 07
I think that I have a higher expectation for my own children and that is why I have less patience with them. I have been babysitting for the past 15 yrs and to do this, I have to have a lot of patience with others children. I have standards set for my children that other parents might not have for theirs.
1 person likes this
@williamjisir (22819)
• China
14 Sep 07
I think that I am the same to both my own child and another person's child. I have been very patient both. I think that it might be related to my occupation as a teacher, most of whom are patient to their students.
1 person likes this
@weehihi (132)
• Philippines
15 Sep 07
it depends on the kid really. and yes, it's true that if it's not your child you wouldnt know what really is the problem when it starts to cry...but if babies are really alike, then maybe you could determine what the problem is right? hmmm but then again, not all people are alike...so maybe you just need a little more patience in dealing with kids..yours or not..hehe
@mummymo (23706)
•
15 Sep 07
Well I am trained as a Nursery Nurse and for the most part I have a lot more patience with other peoples children! If they are in my home they are treated the same as my kids but I think maybe cos you do not have them around all the time it is easier to take their little misbehaviours than it would be if it were from your own child! I have heard lots of Doctors, Nurses , teachers etc say the very same thing too! xxx
@raychill (6525)
• United States
15 Sep 07
I don't have kids. But.. I have nephews. Plus... I always say that I don't like kids. I think the truth of it is that I don't like other peoples kids. I'm not the type to oogle over babies in stores. I don't know the kid I don't care to oogle over him or her. I don't talk about how cute the baby is or whatever cause...again, ain't my kid. whatever.
Like, my nephews though are different cause they're my nephews. Though at the same time when they start screaming or pouting or whatever, I want nothing to do with them! ha ha.
I think I just don't like kids that I don't know. I think/hope though if I ever have kids it'd be different cause they'd be mine.
@crazed_moma (1054)
• United States
15 Sep 07
I'm not as hard on other peoples children. For example, we had our company picnic the other weekend and I was following my 2 year old nephew around to keep him out of trouble. He went and tried to steal a strangers ball! He threw himself on the ground and threw a fit when I took it away and took him back the play area. Had it been one of my kids I'd have picked them up and taken them to a picnic table for a nice time out but I just let him throw his fit because I didn't think his mom would be pleased if I did that.
@Laurla98 (786)
• United States
14 Sep 07
I think it depends on the child. My nephew...would give me a heart attack. He's 2.5 and has already chipped away most of his two top teeth because he jumps all over the furniture and off of it. Lack of discipline is the problem there...so I would probably treat him like my own kids and wouldn't allow it. But I do have more patience with other neices and nephews and I think we tend to have more patience with another persons child, because we have to learn how they are and what their personality is like.
@spoiled311 (5500)
• Philippines
15 Sep 07
actually, i'm not a parent yet, but i also have had trying experiences with really pesky little kids of my parents' friends. i try to be patient at first, but when their behavior gets out of hand and their parents don't seem to mind them, i try to talk it out with them. if they don't listen to reason, sometimes, i just take away whatever it is that they are fuming about. i have little patience with undisciplined kids and parents who don't seem to be upset when your flower vase is broken and the wooden furniture are full of scratches.
@rachsal4 (391)
• United States
15 Sep 07
Not at all. My sister always laughs at me cause will not baby sit unless it's for a really good reason. I say all the time that if I wanted to baby sit I would run a daycare, and make good money doing it. I love my friends/families kids. But I don't have patience for a child that I can't dicipline or deal with the way that I want to.
