Father's Babysitting Means Good Parenting

Baby

oi-Amrisha Sharma

By Amrisha Sharma

Saturday, July 23, 2011, 10:46

Fathers babysitting their toddlers is seen as a stereotype. Call them She-Dads, call them Mr. Moms, the fact remains that dad's manage babysitting quite well. Contrary to popular opinion it is a good idea for your kids to have some daddy time, free from the watchful eyes of mommy. Let Daddy play nanny once in a while and it could work wonders for for parenting plans.

A few myths need to be broken as we discuss fathers babysitting once in a while.

Dads don't understand what the child needs.

This statement is false and demeaning to the father. Fathers have different ways and means to apprehend the child's needs from the mother. Who ever said that whatever the mother thinks the baby needs is gospel truth!

Dad's while babysitting cannot deal with the baby's tantrums and mess.

Again sheer lies. Every parent has his unique style of dealing with the child. This style is not gender specific and the mother does not have a copyright over it.

As fathers get little time with the child, they become too indulgent and spoil the child.

This situation is a subjective one. The father is as much a parent as the mother and requires, rather deserves equal parenting time. One should not rob fathers babysitting of the fun they have while parenting.

From the above stated facts, it would be fair to conclude that fathers babysitting is a great parenting technique.

Certain issues regarding dads babysitting need to be understood with utmost attention.

• Fathers are not professional babysitters whom you pay to take care of your baby. Fathers while babysitting are bound to make mistakes and are entitled to do so. We must not expect perfection out of them. This is their daddy time with the baby so that fathers can do parenting on their own. Don't spoil it by cribbing about details and let the fathers enjoy their child's company.

• It is essential for the healthy development of your child that their father spends time alone with them. Dads babysitting is not necessarily a stop-gap arrangement so that mom can have her free time. It is an irreplaceable part of fathers parenting.

• The father's relationship with the child is often much more uncomplicated than the mother's. Mothers' often by virtue of dealing with the child everyday develop hard and fast ideas about the 'proper' and 'improper' ways of handling a situation. Dad's babysitting might just have a fresher take on things which is better suited to the child.

Either ways the father has to be allowed to contribute to the parenting process and this comes through in the beast way when fathers babysit. That is when fathers get parenting time with the child.