What Kind Of Fundamental Differences Can You Find Between A Caregiver, A Babysitter, And A Parent?
Please help me convince a naive teenager that just because she can play with and entertain and feed an infant for a few hours does not mean that she will be a good parent.
Just telling her the difference will not make an impact. She will still think she knows how to parent a baby.
The only thing that will convince her is letting her have Full experience, cranky crying baby with colic, being up all night with a baby, cleaning up baby gak, and dirty diapers at all hours, never having enough sleep and still having to go to school or at least study.
Talk to the parents of the baby she is watching and see if you can arrange on site Parent Training for 48 to 72 hours. This means although parents on site She has the primary, sole responsibility for this baby. All day, all night Arranging classes so she can be home with the baby, (talk with her teachers, they can assign homework for her)
On her own, no running to the parents and asking questions. She has to figure out what the baby needs and how to provide that. The only time she can go to the parents is medical emergency or to say she cannot do it.
It will be hard on the parents but will teach her a lesson she will not forgot one hopes. That babies are non stop work.
Parent – Parental relationship to the person he/she is taking care of
Caregiver – May or may not have a parental relationship to the person he/she is taking care of. The person may be of any age.
Babysitter – Term specifically applied to a person who is not a parent and he/she is taking care of a child (a minor) or a pet.
Find something else she likes to do, then ask her if she’d like to be doing it constantly for the next 18 or so years. Remind her that friends get really tired of moms bringing their kids with them to get togethers, parties, etc. And money for babysitters isn’t always easy to come by.