Pros and Cons of Having Family Members Babysitting

Having children is one of the most rewarding experiences in life, however, it can also be difficult when one has to attend a function or simply needs some time to get out of the house. This is where the search for a babysitter begins. Having to find a babysitter one can trust and feel comfortable with is a challenge for many parents.

Having a family member fill in as a babysitter can be a big relief, especially for parents with younger children. When a stranger is babysitting your child you may feel anxious as to whether they are reliable, responsible and whether you can trust them with your child. In a world where crime is endlessly rising and people seem to be increasingly less trustworthy, it can be nerve-racking to leave your precious child behind, especially a toddler or a younger child, with a stranger. Having a family member babysit is an advantage because you are familiar with how they interact with your child, you know their personality and how responsible they are. As well, a family member babysitter knows you and loves the child, meaning that they are more likely to be extra careful and protective of the child because they would never want to harm them or have them be hurt in some way, while under their care. Family members are also familiar with house rules and routines, more-so than a stranger would be.

As well, children naturally respect the family members and, therefore, will be more likely listen to them when they tell them something. As well, many children, especially older ones, know that they can get away with disrespecting a stranger who is babysitting, because they will probably never see them again, whereas they respect a family member babysitter and know there will most likely be consequences for disrespect a grandparent or aunt or uncle. Although this is an advantage in most cases, in some cases it can be a disadvantage as some children may respect a stranger more, simply because they don't know them and may be intimidated.

As well, if children have any allergies, food sensitivities or physical or mental illnesses a family member will already be familiar with the condition and of any routines that need to take place, whereas a stranger would have to be informed and could potentially forget or not fully understand the process and severity.

A downfall to having a family member babysit is that the child doesn't have the change to develop their ability to judge someone's trustworthiness and to interact with someone outside of the family. As well, having a stranger babysit will allow the child the chance to learn to respect the demands of people in a more powerful position, which will help them when they are older, as people are always dealing with people in higher positions than them, such as a boss, a teacher, an authority figure etc. Life, however, offers children many opportunities to learn to respect strangers and people in higher positions and to judge someone's trustworthiness, making this simply a plus to having a stranger babysit, as opposed to a disadvantage to having a family member babysit.

The advantages to a family member babysitter, do outweigh the disadvantages, and one can feel comfortable that their child is safe and cared for while they are out. This will allow parent to go out and be at ease, without having to obsess over whether they picked a trustworthy babysitter and whether they will treat your child well.

There is nothing like using babysitting to bringing family together and create close ties and bonds with family members.