It's not babysitting

[DrFaroohk]

Saw this quote in an e-mail that said "it's not babysitting if you're taking care of your own kids." Meaning that guys who think they are "babysitting" their own kids are bastards.

Or how about you just appreciate the fact that he stuck around? He's at home, watching the kids, playing with them, feeding them, nurturing them, seeing to their every need, so you can go out and live your life, whether its working at a career or visiting friends and family or partying - and all you can do is whine like a six year old because he calls it babysitting?

How about you take a look around you, and see all the women who are just plain left alone - their husbands took off long ago - and probably because they whine like six year olds. Or even the ones whose guy stuck around for, they never get a day off because he refuses to watch the kids. I've seen this plenty of times. But oh no, that's not a problem. Yes, we've decided to target the worse offender of them all - the guys who stuck around, the guys who do their job, but refer to it as "babysitting". OMGZOR NOES!111!111!!1

Any time people bitch about stupid shit like this, I'm reminded of my school days - when if a student complained to the teacher about something like "Billy is LOOKING AT ME!!!!" and the teacher would say "Well you obviously don't have enough to do if you're so easily bothered by someone looking at you - here's extra homework". And it solved the problem pretty quick.

I think these unappreciative little slutbags don't have enough to do either. Since our help is so unwanted due to the nomenclature we might give it from time to time, fuck off and deal with it yourself for a while. Maybe "babysitting" will start sounding a whole lot better after you've been flying solo for a few months.

Amen.

[Arcade Man D]

Sorry, but it isn't babysitting if they're your kids, it's parenting.

"Babysit"
v.
1. The act of supervising another person's children for monetary or other compensation.

[DrFaroohk]

And I'm pretty sure most of the guys who are "babysitting" their kids didn't bother to consult a fucking dictionary. Most likely is that to him babysitting simply means looking after children, be it his or some ethiopian kid he found on the sidewalk.

It's not worth throwing a hissy fit and splitting hairs over. That's like people who say "I don't speak spanish, I speak mexican!" "I'm not English, I'm British!" "I'm not an American, I'm from Florida!" "I'm not babysiting, I'm parenting!"

Yay for stupid people!

[Hobbs]

Saw this quote in an e-mail that said "it's not babysitting if you're taking care of your own kids." Meaning that guys who think they are "babysitting" their own kids are bastards.

How do you get "bastard" out of that small fragment of a sentence? For that matter, what else did it say? Was that the only thing it said criticizing your parenting?

You seriously seem to have a stick up your six about any sort of criticism.

[DrFaroohk]

Only when its uncalled for. Yeah, I get defensive when I'm being attacked. Oh, people like to sugarcoat it and call it something else, but that's still what it is, plain and simple, being attacked, and I have every right to defend myself, my opinions and beliefs, my character, and everything else that has to do with me.

[Kimmik]

I have to agree with DrF heck I refer to it as babysitting when someone asks me where my hubby is. "He's at home babysitting squee" or "he's at home watching squee" I dont refer to it as parenting... to me babysitting is watching any child... yours or others... never been big on strict definitions...

I am happy when my hubby babysits our daughter,,, I get to have a nap or computer time...

[Hobbs]

Only when its uncalled for. Yeah, I get defensive when I'm being attacked. Oh, people like to sugarcoat it and call it something else, but that's still what it is, plain and simple, being attacked, and I have every right to defend myself, my opinions and beliefs, my character, and everything else that has to do with me.

I am simply debating with you. When I attack someone, that person'll know it.

That said...you didn't answer any of my inquiries.

[blas87]

See I always thought babysitting as something you got paid to do or were forced to do if you were the eldest child.

It'd be very old fashioned and weird to say "My husband is at home parenting the kids", so it's no biggie to say "He's watching the kids" or "He's at home with the kids".

[DrFaroohk]

But, but, but, "watching" means he's just looking at them! It implies nothing to do with caregiving at all!

That must mean he's not actually doing anything with them but observing! Neglect! Abuse! Waaaaah!

See what I mean? Doesn't it sound so stupid to argue over simple little wording when everyone knows what you mean?

[Hobbs]

Yes, it does sound stupid to argue over words, so why are you doing it?

[blas87]

Well, considering how some people go as far as to twist the written word, yes, you should watch yourself. Or quit caring what others think, I guess would be my best advice to you.

[Boozy]

Or how about you just appreciate the fact that he stuck around?...
How about you take a look around you, and see all the women who are just plain left alone - their husbands took off long ago - and probably because they whine like six year olds.

Do you want us to give you a medal?

It's not going to happen.

Refusing to abandon your offspring like a dog on the street is the bare minimum requirement of being a good human being.

I have to agree with DrF heck I refer to it as babysitting when someone asks me where my hubby is. "He's at home babysitting squee" or "he's at home watching squee" I dont refer to it as parenting... to me babysitting is watching any child... yours or others... never been big on strict definitions...

If your husband is out and about, and someone asks him where you and the baby are, does he say that you're "at home babysitting"? I'd bet my last dollar he does not.

There's a double-standard when it comes to childcare duties, and it's so engrained in our culture that we don't even think about it. Refusing to use the word "babysitting" when talking about a father and child when one would never do it when the child is with the mother....it's a small step, but an important one.

Language is important because it provides the framework for our thoughts and ideas. Change our language, change our thinking.

[Fashion Lad!]

Do you want us to give you a medal?

It's not going to happen.

Refusing to abandon your offspring like a dog on the street is the bare minimum requirement of being a good human being.

Thank you!!!!

Plenty of dads stick around and their children are no better off for it.

[powerboy]

DrF. I am glad that you are a father to the kids, but seriously take the stick out of your ass on this one. Some people says babysite and some calls it something else. I for one, would probably call it babysitting. But I would not whine like a 6 year old, when someone calls it something else.

[DrFaroohk]

That's exactly my point. The people who wrote the original thing and all the subsequent comments are the ones whining like six year olds because of a choice of words.

It's like when I say "It occurred to me that...." which is something I always say I guess, and rather than respond someone always says mockingly "Oh it OCCURRED to you? IT OCCURRED TO YOU? It OCCURRED? It OCCURRED!?!!? It...O...CCURRED? OCC....URRED!?!?!"

I jhust hate stupid people. I've lived with them all my life, and I despise them, and sometimes I wonder if I was put on this planet with the sole intention of purging them from existance forever.