My original plan for today was to write about how much I love the farmers market. I do too - I really like going to the market, and seeing what is in season, and tasting local cheeses, and all that fun stuff.
My fridge, as of this morning's trip to the market, may contain 100% more nectarines, strawberries, blueberries, potatoes, carrots, onions and fancy sausages for the meat-eaters in the house than it did prior to the trip. There may also have been some raspberries that never really made it into the refrigerator.
However, later in the day, I encountered one of my major parenting pet peeves: the male spouse performing childcare = babysitting phenomena.
This really tees me off.
When my spouse is looking after our child, he is not babysitting. He is parenting. Period.
He contributed to half of her DNA. He is equally involved in taking her to the park, dropping her off at daycare, putting her to bed, giving her baths, and all the day-to-day parenting items.
If I go out to enjoy myself as a grown-up for a few hours, he is not babysitting our daughter. He is parenting our daughter. Almost no one would say that I was babysitting our child if my partner decided to go out for a few hours.
I did call out the person who used the term babysitting in reference to my partner tonight (and not in a rude, jerk way), but it just really . . . argh.
If you are a parent that I know, it is a pretty safe bet that you are an awesome parent, who doesn't 'babysit' your own child - you parent your child, regardless as to whether your spouse is immediately available or not. Now we just need society to start treating you like the awesome parent you are, regardless of your gender.
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