At a school event this week, one mom said that her husband was home “babysitting.” Another mom was quick to correct her…”You mean parenting?” I thought about that on the way home. You would never say that a mom is babysitting her kids. Why is it considered babysitting when a dad stays home alone with the kids? Is it just a matter of semantics or is there a real difference?
In my opinion, both babysitters and parents have a RESPONSIBILITY for the child’s welfare. While the child is in their care - regardless of the length of time, they are responsible for keeping him safe and warm, etc. In addition, both babysitters and parents are INVOLVED and (theoretically) ENGAGED with the child. Some do this better than others and the level of involvement is often dependent on the quality of the relationship. The biggest difference in my mind is that parents have a vested OWNERSHIP in the child and a babysitter does not. While a babysitter may love the child, a parent is invested in the child’s future and has made (and will continue to make) sacrifices for that child. This sets a parent apart from a babysitter.
What do you think? Is it a matter of semantics or is there a real difference?
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1 comment:
I vote for real difference. Calling Dad the babysitter implies that once Mom gets home, he's off duty, that Mom is really doing the work even when both are home. Just my two cents.
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