Why do men call it "babysitting" when they are left alone with their children?

Question

I have a young son ~ no scratch that ~ WE have a young son. When I need to do something without babe I have to confer with his pops and make sure he can "babysit" ~ or not.

I have heard his friends ~ fellow dads ~ call it babysitting when they watch their kids as well.

I seriously don't mean to pick on the dads. I ask this half jokingly. Half. ;)

Answer 1

As a dad...Thanks for making me think.

Thanks to you I will never call it babysitting again.

Answer 2

Actually, I ask this question all the time (in real life, not on yahoo-answers). I work a Firefighter Schedule which means I work 10 (24 hour) shifts a month, that leaves me 20 days with my son (now 3). I consider myself a dad, not a "babysitter". My wife is a nurse, works most of the days I'm off (so we don't need childcare, or a real babysitter). She tells me all the time about other nurses who need childcare even though the baby's dad is at home... OMG! When they do "watch" the baby, they call because the baby is crying, or needs something... our neighbor's are the same. She is a stay at home mom, the other day, she was going to go out somewhere (2 kids) and leave the kids with dad, but then he said he "just watched them" (last week, for an hour) and couldn't watch them alone for that long (this was going to be 4 hours). So... I guess I can't really answer the question, it is something I just don't understand. Of course, I've seen a few Mom's who aren't much better...
Good luck with finding a "babysitter".

Answer 3

Pet peeve of many....my hubby doesn't do that, and has picked up when other men have said that they have to 'babysit' their kid. I phrase it more as "I'm trying to make plans to go out, what works for you so you can be home with the little monster?". I'd start using "he's home with our son" vs. he's babysitting...and correct anyone that uses that term for a parent watching their own child!! You can do it jokingly and totally put them in their place!

Answer 4

I have a young son and 3 year old girl. My parents call it babysitting. I say watching my kids. It is not babysitting when they are your children.

Answer 5

It is a simple phrase the explains exactly what he is doing. Staying home with the children. It is slang that some women seem to latch onto. My guess is it gives them a sense of superiority. You know, I raise my child but my man just watches them.

Answer 6

It says that the fathers are not as involved with their child as they should be, or they would know the difference. Just tell them "It's your turn to take care of Mikey, or Little Bit, or the children while I run some errands. He's your child too, so just remember you are just doing your job, not babysitting."

Answer 7

Because they suck!! I think a wife shouldn't"t have to ask. Just do like the men... I'm going to. so and so...Be back!! When a man goes somewhere. They don't ask the mom, To babysit. They just go... I can see it now... A man saying... I'm going to so and so... wacth the kids... Yelll, That's going to happen...I didn't ask my husband to babysit... I would say.. I'm gone... Be back sometime...

Answer 8

Men have important things to do that may endanger the children, like working on the car, burning something in a barrel, welding, watching football, drinking beer...you get the picture.

Dangerous stuff that youngins and womenfolk shouldn't participate in. << hocks lugey into spittoon >>

Answer 9

its cause you babes have kids with many men and sometimes you ask the wrong baby daddy to watch all the kids....

its like women say they raise children when in fact the kids just sit around and never raise at all.

Answer 10

In all honesty, it's because child care has historically been a woman't "job"

I know where you're coming from though. I would explain (as many times as it takes) that these days we call that "being a dad"