"Watching" children

[RicottaPancakes]

I've noticed that people have started "watching"children a lot! But they mean that they " looked after "children (I hope!) Very annoying. Please look after your children, don't just"watch" them!

Colloquial, innit?

Is it? I thought it was American. I've also noticed people have started saying that they watch (see, correct use of "watch"!) TV "shows" and "movies", grrr.

Used a lot in the North East! "I'll watch the bairns"

I don't like it either. Neither do I like 'are you feeding them'. Yes, I shall be giving the children tea, but I only 'feed' babies and animals.

It's not recent - my grandmother used to "watch" me 40 years ago.

I'm pretty sure it's colloquial. May be somehow related to being 'on watch'...? As in 'not on my watch'.