The word “Sittervising,” invented by by Busy Toddler blogger Susie Allison, is a new way to describe a once venerated practice: Sitting around while your kid plays.
The fact that we needed a word to sort of sanitize this normal practice just shows what judgmental times we’re living in. If the phrase “Free-Range Parenting” allowed moms and dads to explain that they WANTED their kids to do more on their own — thought some independence was healthy and good — “Sittervising” allows parents to explain the same thing about their toddler-tending. They (the parents!) at they aren’t lazy or careless. They’re helping their kids learn to entertain themselves, and not expect a ticker-tape parade every time they climb up the slide.
Over at Let Grow I ponder how so many parents came to believe that constant child stimulation (which is often constant parent boredom) was key for kiddie development.
So hop on over — maybe while your child is digging in the dirt with someone’s phone. It’s good for kids to learn how to deal with all kinds of people in all kinds of situations.
Photo by Henry Gillis on Unsplash
I don’t understand how this isn’t just “normal.” When I was a child, my parents often went about their business while I crawled or toddled around exploring. They kept an eye on me to make sure I didn’t get into the wrong thing, but they didn’t direct my play. Or I sat on the floor and played with my toys while my Mom sewed or my Dad watched golf on tv.