The word “watching” applied to stepchildren

[Blackcatsalwaysrock]

This is prompted by another thread but not, I hope ,TAAT. I get unreasonably irritated by people using the word “watching”in the above situation. To me “watching” carries just its literal meaning so watching children simply means sitting and looking at them, as you would if they were in a play. It doesn’t mean the active involvement “looking after” or “caring for” has over and above the essential dont walk into that fire Kimmy emergency shout. So in my definition “watching” really doesn’t seem onerous. Am I the only one to get (totally unreasonable probably) infuriated by this?!

Am I the only one to get (totally unreasonable probably) infuriated by this?!

I think you might be OP 😂
It's the most common way to phrase babysitting where I grew up

To me “watching” carries just its literal meaning so watching children simply means sitting and looking at them, as you would if they were in a play.
Who the heck does this? They aren't goldfish. Of course it means caring for them in some way.

It's a common way to describe looking after children. It's not literally just looking at them!

What on earth does you not liking a perfectly acceptable verb have to do with stepchildren?
Is English not your native language?

I agree OP - I had never heard the term before (for any children, not just SC) other than in the context of, say, a neighbour watching the children playing together in the street/garden (I’m ancient) while their mum popped to the corner shop for a loaf. They all seem to mean “look after”.

It implies that there's no parenting going on and that it's somewhow easier than actual parenting - and perhaps less important?

Yes people mean "look after" when they say "watch", but I agree that it's a strange use of the word "watch".

No it doesn't.

There are regional variations in the UK on how English is used. (There are actually less than there were 50 years ago.)

It just means watching out for. So keeping an eye on them. Not literally watching them but making sure you're around in case they set the house on fire/start squabbling. It involves less interaction than looking after. For example today I watched my eldest DSC. It involved: checking in on her with a cup of tea and saying "alright". Later asking I'd she was ok for lunch or if she wanted me to make something. And at the end of the day just popping up with under the pretence of giving her a kit kat.

It's not specific to step children though?

I would ask someone to 'watch' my kids - I may even say to DH 'can you please watch the kids in X day, I have something on?'

this is a regional usage.
your objection and analysis of the word is invalid.
have you never been asked to get someone's messages ?
how on earth would you cope with that.
try to be more broad-minded and recognise that not everyone lives exactly as you do, nor use language as you do, and they are entitled so to do.
it's a learning opportunity.

I only said stepchildren because it was on a thread about stepchildren that I was first prompted to make this post!

I ask DP to “watch” his own daughter. It means I’m leaving and he’s taking full responsibility for her. My friends use it in the same context.

i grew up with people watching television, if you were lucky enough to have one.
that's what it was for, watching.
later i came across people who looked at television, usually posher people.
to me that implied glancing at the set as you passed by in the room, not sitting engrossed in a programme.
i noticed the different usage. but never thought they were wrong, it's just a variant.

Yes it’s regional. We don’t use ‘watch’ in my area. We would say ‘mind’ the children.

‘ watching the kids’ is quite common where I live as a substitute for babysitting - especially when said children are not actual babies, but may be playing amongst themselves with an adult keeping an eye out for them. Never thought it was odd .

If you think about it, "looking after" (after what?) is just as strange as "watchin"

Where I live it covers babysitting, parenting, everything in between and can apply to children, animals or food being cooked.

I feel like I get what you mean here. It really winds me up that, if the child is older than say 8, people always seem to be under the impression that looking after them MUST be really easy. Using the word "watching" is just an extension of that. It implies all you need to do is pop your head around the door now and then to check they're alright, while they take care of themselves. I think it would be better if people acknowledged what it usually is - which is full on childcare.

Is it short for ‘watching over the kids’ ie making sure they are safe and well.

Wait until you find out babysitting dose not actually mean sitting on a baby.

😂

We say watch too. Its just a turn of phrase.

❤️

To build on what @aSofaNearYou said so well - 'watching' is a word often weaponised against stepmothers in this context. Ie You were only asked to 'watch' them, with the implication being that if you said no to merely 'watching' them you are being cruel and callous. When the reality is you are being asked to provide full physical and emotional childcare, which is a much bigger ask, and more legitimate to turn down.

I think we used it when our child was little as in 'can you watch x I am going upstairs for a minute' like that