"Sittervising." Don't get up.
"Its latest find is 'Sittervising.' The not-exactly-groundbreaking idea is for a parent to SIT while their kid plays, rather than feeling obligated to jump in and toss the ball, be the snowman, or praise every single scribble the child creates.
"Yes, it’s too bad that there needs to be a word legitimising this already totally legit behaviour, but golly — we’re glad there is! Just as “Free-Range Parenting” became the name for a whole bunch of practices encouraging independence, 'sittervising' gives tired, trusting parents a way of explaining their decision to intervene a little less. It’s not laziness. It’s not neglect. It’s a belief that kids can and should spend some time figuring out how to have fun without dragooning an adult."
~ Lenore Skenazy, from her post 'Lets Hear it for Sittervising'
3 comments:
If my memory serves me correctly, the issue most parents have including myself at the time was not resisting the temptation to jump in to interact with them when they're perfectly happy being left alone (although we did see that at times with others) - it's saying no to their constant demands for attention when there's nothing you'd like more than to sit down and rest.
Yes, but you're not the typical 'helicopter parent.... I
I was talking most parents, not just ourselves. I'm making the point that there's a certain stage where being able to sittervise is more about being able to say 'no' to your child's requests for attention, than resisting the temptation to get involved when it's not wanted.
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