Any other father’s here, what is your response when people make this comment to you? My go to is, “No babysitters here! Just a dad being a father, we allowed to do that now!” And if I’m feeling salty I’ll throw in something like, “things have changed a LOT since your old man went to the store for cigarettes.” Just wondering what other people’s comebacks are.

44 comments

  3. Someone said something like that maybe a few times to me, I just replied something like yep me and the girls today. I get why some people don’t like it, but it is just not a big deal to me.

  4. “I’m actually a widower, but thanks for minimizing single fathers.” The panic on their face is priceless.

  6. Oddly as much as I’ve seen this on the internet I’ve never been asked that.

  7. “My wife is working the night shift 4 days a week. This is just parenting.”

  10. I must be intimidating because 4 of my 5 children are grown and not once in 28 years have I been asked that.

  12. ‘Yes. I have no idea where my own kids are, but these ones seem to be doing fine.’

  15. This always rubs me the wrong way, even had people in the past I’ve worked with say similar things when I’ve taken time off in school holidays – usually older men, my response was generally along the lines of “My generation was taught to be involved and active fathers, not just babysitters”

    Now that I’m a single dad I’m looking forward to the next time makes these comments lol

  16. I’m fairly salty in general. The few times it’s been said to me, the response has usually been something along the lines of “deadbeat moms are a thing too, but thanks showing that you think dad’s aint shit 😉.” Then I get called an asshole and shrug. Fuck you and your misandrist bullshit lady.

  18. Just play dumb as say “I wish I was babysitting, that’s my son/daughter”

    Best way

  19. Look them square in the eyes and say “My wife is on hospice. I’m all our kids have.”

    Don’t break eye contact.

  20. Babysitting implies I can hand them back to someone, are you that someone?

  24. A friend once replied to something similar with a ‘It’s called parenting dipshit’.

  26. I don’t think it has ever happened, not in that kind of patronising way anyway. I have had “did Dad do your hair this morning!” which was fair as I did, and it wasn’t good. I have also never had the thing people talk about online about being considered a creep for being alone in a park with my kids.

  28. Set your sexist-joke-understanding meter to “maximum clueless,” and with all the feigned earnestness you can muster, completely misunderstand their premise and ruin the joke.

    “Me? A babysitter?” you say quizzically. Then you smile like you figured out the misunderstanding, “Oh, no, these aren’t *someone else’s* kids, these are *my* kids! I’m their Dad.”

    Then with a bigger smile, turning it back onto them, “oh, so are you saying that *you’re* a babysitter?” And if they’ve got their kids with them “Do you sit for this family often?” And if not, then “If so, I should get your contact info – we’re always looking for sitters to add to our list.”

  31. I’ve only been asked that a couple times and just responded with “No” with no further explanation given.

  32. New dad with grey hair here. Stings a bit more when they say “oh is it grandpa’s day?” Lol

  33. single dad myself. Gets right on my nerves when I hear stuff like this. To me, it’s all part of the systemic issue with how dads are viewed.

    I’m not babysitting, I do bath times, school runs, all cooking, washing clothes and general upkeep of the house and work full time. I am not a standing till Mum gets here.

  35. I have heard this shit said to other people and it’s disgusting. They’re good men, who work hard all day, who come home and put real thoughtful energy into raising their children. And some of the people who said this knew that about them. The fuck?

  36. I would ignore it. Wasting time on people is useless. My kid is 25, she still wants to go for walks and ice cream. It doesn’t happen often these days but when it does it’s still priceless.

  37. I’m not their dad and I’m not babysitting. I’m a human trafficker. Do you want to be next?

  39. Just throw it in their faces.

    “Seriously, you think I “babysit” my own children? I actually raise my children on my own, because their mother died”

  42. Im female, but also a snarky asshat.

    Id reply with something like “nooo….i haven’t sat on her in 4 days!”

    But i always teased my kids from like age 1+ about duct taping them to a wall when they were being a handful. They didnt know what duct tape was, and i always smiled and tickled them so they knew i was being silly before they knew the words.

    One day i was at home depot buying stuff and had both kids in cart. Probably ~5+2 at the time and oldest was just realizing what i was saying. He was harassing his brother who wasnt in the mood who was crying and whining and i just wanted to buy home improvement supplies and get home yk?

    So i go “HEY! Dont make me duct tape you to
    The wall mister, they have an ENTIRE AISLE of it here!” Said more seriously now that he was older and knew the joke.

    Some lady stops me and says “did… you just threaten to duct tape your kids?”

    I was like, omg… cps call incoming. I said yes and she laughed and said it was the funniest thing she heard all day.

    They are 19+16 now, still say it to em

  43. I say “Actually in real families the dad watches the kids just as much as the mom, sorry that hasn’t been the case for you”

  44. I would respond with, “Go fuck yourself.”

    People that say shit like that, know nothing about my life and the passive aggressive condescension is nauseating. I work 56 hours a week. Then I come home and take care of the entire family and maintain and manage a household. My wife does shit compared to me but I love her ass anyways.

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