Why is it “babysitting” and not parenting?
By Quilter
@fatragu (677)
United States
October 20, 2020 5:54pm CST
Why is it that when a mother is taking care of her children it is called parenting but when a father spends time with his kids by himself, he is “babysitting”?
We can’t even blame it on society because so many men refer to the time they spend at home with their kids as “babysitting” so it is no wonder that society runs with it.
If a mother refers to it as babysitting, we are told it is our duty to be taking care of our children full time, sometimes even on top of having a full-time job or career. If the father spends anytime with them and calls it parenting people will correct them and call it babysitting.
People complain that fathers are not spending much quality time with their children, but then we talk down about them when they do.
What are your thoughts?
4 people like this
4 responses
@piyushbhatia1 (11695)
• India
21 Oct 20
Do the kids complain about the words as well?
1 person likes this
@Michellekidwell (29953)
• Sonora, California
21 Oct 20
Mother or Father it should be considering parenting, Babysitting is when someone who isn’t a parent is taking care of the child/children
1 person likes this
@Michellekidwell (29953)
• Sonora, California
21 Oct 20
@fatragu Not sure I’m a few years older than you, we called it Parenting when a Father was taking care of his child...
@jvicentevalera (13671)
• Santiago, Chile
21 Oct 20
I used to think that "parenting" applied as on men as women. So when a man is taking care of his children is it called "babysitting"? That's new for me.
