Definition
Caring for a baby or young child while parents are away, watching them to keep them safe and comfortable.
Etymology
From 'baby' (infant) and 'sitting' (remaining in a place); combined in the 1930s as a term for the new job of supervising children while parents went out.
Kelly Says
Babysitting as a job for teenagers is uniquely American and became popular in the 1940s-50s—before that, children were mostly cared for by family members, making it one of the first 'teen jobs' that created independence.
Translations
AMአማርኛ
ልጆች አስተዳደር
li-joch as-te-dad-er
ARالعربية
مربية
mar-bi-ya
BNবাংলা
শিশুসুরক্ষা
shi-shu-sur-k-sha
CACatalà
cuidar nens
kwee-dar nens
CSČeština
hlídání dětí
hlid-a-ni- deti
DADansk
pasning af børn
pas-ning af boern
DEDeutsch
Babysitten
ba-bi-si-ten
ELΕλληνικά
μεγάλη ηλικία
me-ga-li i-li-kia
ESEspañol
cuidar niños
kwee-dar nee-nyos
FAفارسی
پرستار بچه
par-star bache
FISuomi
lastenhoito
las-ten-hoi-to
FRFrançais
garde d'enfants
gard dɛ̃fɑ̃
GUGU
બાળકોની જાળવણી
baal-ko-ni jaal-va-ne
HAHA
aikin yara
ai-kin ya-ra
HEעברית
טיפול בילדים
ti-pul be-ye-led-im
HIहिन्दी
बच्चों की देखभाल
bachchon ki dekhabhaal
HUMagyar
babysitter
ba-bi-sit-ter
IDBahasa Indonesia
menjaga anak
men-ja-ga an-ak
IGIG
ịkọ akwụkwọ
i-ko ak-wu-kwo
ITItaliano
baby sitter
ba-bee si-t-ter
JA日本語
ベビーシッター
be-bi-shit-ta
KMKM
ការថែរក្សាកូនៗ
ka-ra thae-ra-k-sa koon-loon
KO한국어
영유아 돌봄
yeong-yu-a dol-bom
MRMR
मुलांची काळजी
mu-la-nchi ka-al-jee
MSBahasa Melayu
penjaga anak
pen-ja-ga an-ak
MYမြန်မာ
ကလေး ကျွန်ုပ်
ka-le-ya kya-nu-pok
NLNederlands
oppas
op-pas
NONorsk
barnepass
bar-ne-pass
PAPA
ਬੱਚਿਆਂ ਦੀ ਦੇਖਭਾਲ
ba-ch-ya-n di dekh-bha-al
PLPolski
opiekę nad dziećmi
o-pie-ke na-d z-dzye-t-chmi
RORomână
slujire de copii
slu-ji-re de ko-pi
SVSvenska
barnpassning
barn-pass-ning
TAதமிழ்
குழந்தை பராமரிப்பு
ku-zhan-thai pa-ra-ma-ri-ppu
TEతెలుగు
బిడ్డల చూసుకోవడం
bid-dal chu-su-ko-va-dam
THไทย
รับเลี้ยงดูเด็ก
rap liang doo dek
TLTL
pag-aalaga sa mga bata
pa-ga-a-la-ga sa mga ba-ta
TRTürkçe
çocuk bakıcısı
cho-ok bak-i-si
URاردو
بچوں کی دیکھ بھال
bachon ki dekh bhaal
VITiếng Việt
giám hộ trẻ em
kjam ho tre em
Ethical Language Guidance
Gender History
Childcare labor became coded as 'babysitting'—feminine, low-status, and low-wage—while parenting itself remains ungendered. This linguistic split has historically confined women to unpaid or underpaid domestic work.
Inclusive Usage
Use 'childcare' or 'caring for children' for professional/serious contexts. Reserve 'babysitting' for casual, occasional supervision.
Inclusive Alternatives
["childcare","caring for children","child supervision"]
Empowerment Note
Women have fought for recognition of childcare as skilled labor deserving equal pay; language matters in validating this work.