DEAR DADS OUT THERE IN THE WORLD... DON'T BABYSIT YOUR OWN CHILDREN!
If you are watching your own children and being the primary caregiver for an hour, the night or for the day you are not 'babysitting'! When a man is asked, 'Hey what are you doing tonight'? and he replies, 'I'm babysitting' I want to scream.
So listen up, if they are YOUR children, you are not babysitting!
You are: taking care of the kids or being with the kids but you are not 'babysitting' them. Babysitting means a temporary caregiver that is not normally obligated to the children they care for, a temporary responsibility in exchange for monetary gain. Dads, do you consider yourself on the same level as the 16 year old you pay an hourly rate to watch your kids? I sure hope not. Dad's, when you say you are babysitting your children you are really saying...'its really my wife's job and i'm doing her a favor'.
Yes, the words we use matter!
There are two reasons I despise this incorrect use of language:
#1 It supposes that the woman is 100% responsible for the kids 100% of the time. Both Men and Women are equally, 100% responsible for their children 100% of the time. These responsibilities do look different at different times and depend on the situation. No matter, the above is still true.
#2 Men, why do you underestimate your importance? You are vital to your children and your time with them is so very precious because often you are around them less than the Mom's are. So, stop babysitting your children and start taking care of them, playing with them and teaching them. That is what you signed up for.
Note: This post was not inspired by my husband who I feel is an equal partner in raising our children, just for the record :)
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