Babysitting

[TheGoodLife]

I can't stand people asking about my "babysitting"! It's always my friends/family- never my clients. Just had a former co-worker who stopped teaching the same year as me ask if I'm still babysitting! Took a note from some of you and replied "Naw, I try not to sit on the babies". Makes me feel like a 15 year old girl, not a professional. OK, vent over

[CedarCreek]

Ugh. I hate it too.

It just happened to me the other day. An old Co worker texted me asking how the babysitting is going. I replied that my CHILDCARE BUSINESS is going great.

[MarinaVanessa]

I hate it also .

I do the same ... if someone calls me a babysitter I gently correctly but correct them I shall. It's just a personal peeve of mine.

THEM: "Do you still babysit?"
ME: "Oh, no. I havn't done babysitting since I was in highschool and college. I'm a family child care provider now and offer child care in my home. I don't go to other people's home now"

This always seems to produce this look and they ask for more clarification so I will explain ...

Babysitter: caring for children in the child's home for short periods of time usually sporadically.

family Child Care Provider: caring for children in your own home on a regular basis.

Nanny: Child care for children in the child's home on a regular basis, usually involves additional light household duties as well.

Most people have no idea that there are differences until you tell them

[Shell]

I was at a birthday party for a dcg, and I was introduced as "dcg's babysitter" to a bunch of professional type women. I waited a few minutes, and then while talking, referred to myself as the daycare provider. I think they got it!

[Familycare71]

Originally Posted by Mama2Bella

I can't stand people asking about my "babysitting"! It's always my friends/family- never my clients. Just had a former co-worker who stopped teaching the same year as me ask if I'm still babysitting! Took a note from some of you and replied "Naw, I try not to sit on the babies". Makes me feel like a 15 year old girl, not a professional. OK, vent over

Amen!!! My new answer too!!

[Blackcat31]

Meh, I don't get bent out of shape about being called any of those things.

Who cares really? I know what I do. I know the importance of what I do.

Any flippant or wise a$$ answer I give isn't going to "teach" or retrain anyone to think differently so I don't bother.

They can think what they want to think.

I probably have way more fun at my job than they do. I probably like my co-workers more, am more fulfilled and answer to no one so if they want to call me a babysitter...go for it.

Oh, and most the people who do say babysitter are the ones who dump their kids with me to enjoy so again, no matter the title, I am the lucky one.

[Cradle2crayons]

Originally Posted by Blackcat31

Meh, I don't get bent out of shape about being called any of those things.

Who cares really? I know what I do. I know the importance of what I do.

Any flippant or wise a$$ answer I give isn't going to "teach" or retrain anyone to think differently so I don't bother.

They can think what they want to think.

I probably have way more fun at my job than they do. I probably like my co-workers more, am more fulfilled and answer to no one so if they want to call me a babysitter...go for it.

Oh, and most the people who do say babysitter are the ones who dump their kids with me to enjoy so again, no matter the title, I am the lucky one.

It doesn't bother me either. Here in the south they call ALL private providers babysitters. It's not meant offensive, it's just the language they use. It doesn't mean they think less of me. My daycare parents RAVE about me. They can use the word babysitter all they want. In the end it changes nothing,

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

Originally Posted by MarinaVanessa

I hate it also .

I do the same ... if someone calls me a babysitter I gently correctly but correct them I shall. It's just a personal peeve of mine.

THEM: "Do you still babysit?"
ME: "Oh, no. I havn't done babysitting since I was in highschool and college. I'm a family child care provider now and offer child care in my home. I don't go to other people's home now"

This always seems to produce this look and they ask for more clarification so I will explain ...

Babysitter: caring for children in the child's home for short periods of time usually sporadically.

family Child Care Provider: caring for children in your own home on a regular basis.

Nanny: Child care for children in the child's home on a regular basis, usually involves additional light household duties as well.

Most people have no idea that there are differences until you tell them

I said something very similar once with a very confused look on my face.

[blandino]

Originally Posted by EntropyControlSpecialist

I said something very similar once with a very confused look on my face.

I just thought of the best response along those lines. "No, I really don't have much free time on the evenings and weekends to babysitt, since I am putting in so many hours working each week".

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

Originally Posted by blandino

I just thought of the best response along those lines. "No, I really don't have much free time on the evenings and weekends to babysitt, since I am putting in so many hours working each week".

Amen! It's so true.

[LK5kids]

Honestly, I thought this term died 15 yrs. ago. That is when I was doing FCC before. I rarely if ever hear babysitter. Maybe the retraining of our title started earlier here!

I HATE to be called a babysitter...yikes!

I Do have to say 2 relatives stopped by here in June...one with his girlfriend..She asked how the babysitting was going and I just cringed!

These actually are my ex-brother-in-laws-I still claim them! My one BIL said, " How is your new business going"? He was a teacher in Chicago for many years. He at least treated me very respectfully.

I hear ya.....did I say I hate that term?

I am going to use...I haven't babysat since middle school. I run a family child care center!

Thanks, I can never come up with good come backs.

[e.j.]

Originally Posted by Blackcat31

Meh, I don't get bent out of shape about being called any of those things.

Who cares really? I know what I do. I know the importance of what I do.

Any flippant or wise a$$ answer I give isn't going to "teach" or retrain anyone to think differently so I don't bother.

They can think what they want to think.

I probably have way more fun at my job than they do. I probably like my co-workers more, am more fulfilled and answer to no one so if they want to call me a babysitter...go for it.

Oh, and most the people who do say babysitter are the ones who dump their kids with me to enjoy so again, no matter the title, I am the lucky one.

Depends on the mood I'm in but this is my usual take on being called a babysitter. At my age, it feels a bit silly to be called a babysitter but I can usually shrug it off.