At the top of my list, though, is the B word, babysitting. I mostly hear it from women. They probably mean no harm, but when they talk about their husband watching their kids without them around, they call it babysitting. And it's not. It's parenting. When I think about what I want from a babysitter, the bar is relatively low. I want
- the kids to be breathing at the end of the night
- the kids to be in bed if (s)he is watching them through bedtime
- the house to not be a total and complete wreck
- no evidence that any visitors I did not know about have been there
- engaging with the child in activities
- enforcing the rules and a general moral order
- caring for their needs in a way that prepares them and me for the future (e.g. demanding politeness when they request more food or help with something)
Now, about the "Mr. Mom" comments...
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