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If you're thinking of having kids keep in mind it's not for everyone. Please try babysitting young kids first, ideally overnight if you can, and with your SO.

If you're thinking of having kids keep in mind it's not for everyone. Please try babysitting young kids first, ideally overnight if you can, and with your SO. Because you may find it's not for you. Or even just that things you thought are important are actually wrong or harmful. These gushing articles can be very encouraging. Yet the experience can vary widely.

blowski 4y ago
Babysitting somebody else’s kids - even close relatives - is a long way from having your own. The relentless night after night after night and you being ultimately responsible is somehow different, both positively and negatively.
- paulryanrogers 4y ago
  Good point. I don't mean to say that's the only experience one should use to judge. Though it's better than nothing, especially if one was the youngest or an only child. It's also good to talk to a variety of parents. Ideally some willing to confide the less pleasant aspects. Because it can be years of painful sacrifice. And some find they cannot handle it, or wished they had made different choices.
watwut 4y ago
Babysitting is nothing like raising own kids. Babysitting a kid youndont know well is even further from raising own kid. Both its good and bad aspects are entirely different. Babysitting sux in ways being with own kid does not - being with own kid is easier and more pleasant. And conversely, own baby wakes you up and requires much more of your time on the regular basis.
- paulryanrogers 4y ago
  My suggestion wasn't meant to be a perfect, all encompassing litmus test. It's one idea to prepare oneself before a major, life altering decision. Would be parents need to be well informed of what responsibilities and risks they take on before they're parents. Many don't have a concrete understanding of how difficult it can be, even for a day. And hearing only from parents who have had a lot of positive experiences and help may encourage an unrealistic outlook.
lm28469 4y ago
> Please try babysitting young kids first, ideally overnight if you can, and with your SO. I don't personally plan on having kids but this wouldn't help at all. It's like test driving a car by doing the oil and tire change. Everybody knows taking care of a kid is hard/dirty/&c. that's the only part you'll get by babysitting one. You'll get all the nasty and annoying stuff without any of the positive/long term/meaningful things
- paulryanrogers 4y ago
  > Everybody knows taking care of a kid is hard/dirty/&c. IME this isn't true of everyone. And for some the difficulty and sacrifice may be very abstract. Then when faced with the concrete reality some find they cannot stomach it.

blowski 4y ago

Babysitting somebody else’s kids - even close relatives - is a long way from having your own. The relentless night after night after night and you being ultimately responsible is somehow different, both positively and negatively.

paulryanrogers 4y ago
Good point. I don't mean to say that's the only experience one should use to judge. Though it's better than nothing, especially if one was the youngest or an only child. It's also good to talk to a variety of parents. Ideally some willing to confide the less pleasant aspects. Because it can be years of painful sacrifice. And some find they cannot handle it, or wished they had made different choices.

watwut 4y ago

Babysitting is nothing like raising own kids. Babysitting a kid youndont know well is even further from raising own kid. Both its good and bad aspects are entirely different. Babysitting sux in ways being with own kid does not - being with own kid is easier and more pleasant. And conversely, own baby wakes you up and requires much more of your time on the regular basis.

paulryanrogers 4y ago
My suggestion wasn't meant to be a perfect, all encompassing litmus test. It's one idea to prepare oneself before a major, life altering decision. Would be parents need to be well informed of what responsibilities and risks they take on before they're parents. Many don't have a concrete understanding of how difficult it can be, even for a day. And hearing only from parents who have had a lot of positive experiences and help may encourage an unrealistic outlook.

lm28469 4y ago

> Please try babysitting young kids first, ideally overnight if you can, and with your SO. I don't personally plan on having kids but this wouldn't help at all. It's like test driving a car by doing the oil and tire change. Everybody knows taking care of a kid is hard/dirty/&c. that's the only part you'll get by babysitting one. You'll get all the nasty and annoying stuff without any of the positive/long term/meaningful things

paulryanrogers 4y ago
> Everybody knows taking care of a kid is hard/dirty/&c. IME this isn't true of everyone. And for some the difficulty and sacrifice may be very abstract. Then when faced with the concrete reality some find they cannot stomach it.