I am sick and tired of being asked "Who is watching your kids?"

Nurses General Nursing

Published

So who watches your kids while your here? I mean, do you really think they ask my dh as he delivers his mail, so who is watching your kids? NOOOOO!!! I don't make excuses for my career, I worked very, very hard to get my degree, it was not handed to me. I love my children, but being a nurse is as much part of my identity as being a mom. I love it, I never say, Ahhh man, I got to go to work. I enjoy being there. (This isn't to say that I don't enjoy my time off, lol) People just AMAZE me, my dh is a wonderful father. He makes them dinner every night, does Nicole's homework with her, gives bathes, does laundry, picks up etc....He is just as capable of taking care of our children as I am, yet I still get "the look" when I make a comment about having little ones. Then I get "so who is watching your children while your HERE?" I just want to say, Oh, nobody, I just leave them home with their doors shut in their rooms, they are fine:lol2:

When people ask me that I say she is at Home Alone (Home Alone Kids Club-the name of her daycare). They look at me like I am out of my mind and I just smile and walk off.:roll

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I think the question says more about the persons life (husband is a babysitter) and about society generally.

Proportionatly, there are still too many men who babysit, than there should be... that goes for my side of The Pond too!

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I don't have kids, yet, but that is silly for people to ask. I think it's wonderful for moms who can stay home and who want to stay home. My husband and I have discussed it, and not only will our quality of life be better if I don't stay home, but I don't think I'd be happy staying home. I derive a great deal of enjoyment and self esteem from working, I've worked hard for my degree, and I want to use it. A wonderful thing about nursing is that I can work 3 days a week and be home 4. I am excited about having kids, but it doesn't make me a bad person to choose to work either. People shouldn't ask about stranger's personal arrangements.

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

If anyone would ask if my husband were "babysitting" i'd reply "he might get a chance to babysit IF he ever got done with PARENTING."

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I don't have kids, yet, but that is silly for people to ask. I think it's wonderful for moms who can stay home and who want to stay home. My husband and I have discussed it, and not only will our quality of life be better if I don't stay home, but I don't think I'd be happy staying home. I derive a great deal of enjoyment and self esteem from working, I've worked hard for my degree, and I want to use it. A wonderful thing about nursing is that I can work 3 days a week and be home 4. I am excited about having kids, but it doesn't make me a bad person to choose to work either. People shouldn't ask about stranger's personal arrangements.

I have a child and totally agree with what you say here!!! This is exactly what I am doing...I work 3 days a week with 4 off. Daddy takes care of the baby when I go to work since I work pms and he works days.

I have gotten alot of grief off of "parenting boards" online about me going to work. I am not SAHM material! Sure, I can keep the house neat and cook and all that...but my husband does roughly half, so there is no need for me to be home and not work. I stayed home with our little bundle of joy until he was 5 months old and was very ready to get back to work. I love my job too and its also a way to connect with adults. You crave that really badly when you are home all day with the baby.

I think it is great that you and your husband have already started discussing this. I believe that it makes me a much better mother and wife to have other things going on in my life. Plus, it makes me a more interesting person in general :) Don't get me wrong...family is definitely #1, but work is important to me too.

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I just got a horrible case of the giggles when thinking about the dog staying with the kids. "Well, we have this really well-trained St. Bernard--he even drags them to the bus stop every morning!" :roll

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The dog watching your kids is great:chuckle If they seem concerned, just mention that it worked for the Darlings (in Peter Pan). Thier nanny was a dog, and she worked very hard to care for those kids!:smiley_ab

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Tempting to say, "You know, you're absolutely right. You'll have to find another nurse...I'm going home to be with my kids."

It never occurs to these lunkheads that no one would be there to take care of them if the nurse were all home tending to their husbands/wives/children/celebrating holidays, etc.

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Specializes in ER, NICU.

Why does it bother ANYONE if someone asks "who's watching your kids"?

Just curious.

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Maybe because it is none of their daggone business. Maybe because the people who've asked usually go on to say how mothers should be at home with their children.

Who do they think is going to take care of the patients? Elijah's ravens?

(I don't even have kids, but I find those sorts of questions very rude.)

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Specializes in Corrections, Cardiac, Hospice.
Why does it bother ANYONE if someone asks "who's watching your kids"?

Just curious.

Because it is usually said in a very condesending tone, followed by "my wife NEVER worked" or "Oh, I just could NEVER leave my kids to go to work, I want to raise my OWN kids." I even had one "gentleman" say to me something along the lines of, well YOU choose to play, so I guess now you have to pay the price. EXCUSE ME?:nono:

Besides, even if I COULD stay home, I would CHOOSE to work at least part time. I love what I do. I even had people in my circle of friends pass comments about women who work, right in front of me. It is just so rude.

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".............someone actually once asked me if my husband (who has a M-F existance) got a babysitter on weekends I worked so he could "relax and enjoy his weekend"

This happens to me too! I work nights and weekends, part time, around my hubby's schedule. I usually go in AFTER putting in a full day at home w/ 2 kiddos ( and I'm pg w/ #3) I just got asked at work the other day 'Isn't your husband too tired to babysit?" Arhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:angryfire

Soemone asked why does it make you mad? Because often, though not always, people are implying it's not 'OK' to work, some even feel 'at all' when you have kids. I guess its better to let it go, I usually do, but still, its OK to vent here :)

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