If you’re a parent on any kind of social media platform, you may have seen the term “sittervising” thrown around. But what does this mean? And is this a good parenting technique? Here, we go into the details.
Sittervising—explained
The term sittervising may be new, but the technique is not. First coined by blogger Susie Allison of Busy Toddler, it describes how parents sit down and supervise their kids playing, but do not intervene. There’s a bit of distance between the parent and the children, allowing kids space to explore and become independent without feeling like their parents are hovering over them.
Of course, the term has the word “sitting,” in it, but you don’t have to sit and watch your kids. You can be off in another room, or doing some other type of work while your kids play. Kids should be in ear-shot, but you don’t need to be checking on them constantly.
Should you practice sittervising?
According to Allison, sittervising can benefit both parents and kids. “In sittervising,” she said, “children get the necessary time to play without adults interfering with the play-learning process. Adults get back the time they need to rest or complete jobs, helping to ease stress and burnout.”
Sittervising can also make your kids feel more independent and self-sufficient. Nevertheless, it can be nerve-wracking for parents to try at first. If you’re nervous, go slow. Start with actually sitting down and watching your kids play from a distance. Then, start doing some other work in that room while your kids are playing. Once you’re comfortable doing that, you can work yourself up to leaving the room for longer and longer periods of time.
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