A Mississippi mother who raised her two sons with the help of a popular parenting concept talks about how it has shaped her family's life.
Rayna Rose Crowley, who calls herself a “fun homeschool mom” on Instagram, said she first heard the term “sitterbathing” from her Seattle-based mother, Susie Allison. Her girlfriend Allison wrote about it on her blog, The Busy Toddler.
“As soon as I heard her words, I was given permission not to touch the children,” Crowley told Fox News Digital.
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“And I was like, ‘Oh, [this is] A whole new world opens up for me. ”
“Sittervising” is a coined word that combines “sit” and “supervise.” Alison's blog post, “Why I Find My Sitter,” has been gaining attention among parents online since it was posted in 2022.
Two children playing together without the parents hovering or interfering. After hearing about the parenting trend from a blogger, one mother in Mississippi became a huge supporter of the parenting trend. (Reina Rose Crowley)
Crowley described the method as “allowing children to play.” independently in the same room as you [the parents] It's about participating in their play. ”
As Crawley's two sons have grown, she said the way she's incorporated sitter services into her life over the years has grown.
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Crowley became a mother of two in 2018, adopting a toddler just months after giving birth to her son.
One of her young Crowley sons, Brian, is pictured here. Her mother describes sitter visits as “allowing the kids to play.” independently in the same room as you [the parents] It's about participating in their play. ” (Reina Rose Crowley)
“It was kind of doubly new for me because I didn't know what to do with a toddler and I didn't know what to do with a newborn,” Crowley said.
”They had good reason for asking so much. There are a lot of activities that we really need to engage in. And when I realized that play was something I could do without my hands, that was a breakthrough moment. ”
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When her sons were 3 and 2, Crowley started sitting them to teach them independence.
Also, it gave her the opportunity to rest for a period of time.
She played with them for five to 10 minutes to establish the kind of connection that Crowley emphasizes in her parenting style: “emotional needs.”
Crowley lets her sons play on their own without adult intervention and takes every opportunity to complete tasks around the house. Crowley's son Benjamin is pictured here playing with a toy cash register. (Reina Rose Crowley)
After playing with them for a while, Crowley took a step back while the boys continued to play alone.
She also said that as children grow up, their environments change.
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“A quote I love is, “Control the environment and set the child free.'' As long as safety measures are taken, sitting services can be provided anywhere, regardless of age. [or] Confined space. ”
“Independence comes with freedom, and Sittervising allows children to play in fun and creative ways outside of the boundaries established by adults,” Crowley said.
“A quote I love is, “Control the environment and set the child free.'' As long as safety measures are taken, sitting services can be provided anywhere, regardless of age. [or] Confined space. ” (Reina Rose Crowley)
“They create their own rules and society, and they learn a lot about play when adults aren't involved.”
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Ms Crowley said she has noticed that giving her children a chance to experience freedom and independence has helped improve their speech and social skills, as well as increasing their confidence and creativity.
One mother said that sitter services give confidence to both children and parents. When parents begin to trust young children's decisions, children feel secure. (Reina Rose Crowley)
When her children were young, she found herself experiencing “burnout” on a regular basis. That's also part of the reason she started using the sitter service technique.
Ms Crawley said she felt like a “big kid mom” now that her sons Brian, 6, and Benjamin, 5, were a little older.
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“There’s more distance and more space,” she said. “They can even go to their neighbor’s house and see them outside their window in their front yard.”
“So I think the sitter biz gradually moved into wider and wider areas as they developed confidence. I also have confidence in them. Because I know.”
Ms Crawley, pictured on the beach with her husband Matthew and their children, said she loved watching her children grow in confidence over time. (Annie Cooper Photography/@anniecooper.photography)
Don Grant, Ph.D., a psychologist, researcher, and national advisor for healthcare equipment management at Newport Healthcare in Los Angeles, California, told Fox News Digital that SitterBiz may be helpful for parents who need a break from time to time. He said he feels there is no such thing.
Parents should also be mindful of the importance of attachment theory, he says.
“They even go to the neighbor's house and I can see them outside my window in the front yard,” Crowley said of how she does “sitter-byes” every day. (Annie Cooper Photography/@anniecooper.photography)
“This just makes sure the child knows you're there,” he said. “This is really important, especially in the early days when you're starting to form an attachment.”
“It’s important that your child is able to check in.”
“They're growing academically. They're growing physically and mentally. And the sitting service is just another way for them to grow.”
Grant said sittervising should involve more than just parents sitting near their children and being aware of what they're doing. Parents must be observant and ready to jump into the situation if necessary.
When kids look up, “all they need is a sense of security,” he says. “This creates a very strong and secure attachment.”
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She added: “And if your child looks up, even just to see if you're still there, make eye contact and smile.”
Mr Grant agreed that sitterbiz has the potential to promote independence, as parents allow their children to be creative and use their imagination on their own.
Crawley, pictured with her family, calls herself a “fun homeschool mom” on Instagram. (Annie Cooper Photography/@anniecooper.photography)
Crowley said she enjoys watching her sons grow through independent play.
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“I love watching them grow in all aspects,” she said.
Crowley's two sons are pictured when they were younger. “There are a lot of activities to really engage in,” she said of her parenting. “And when I realized that play was something I could do without my hands, that was a breakthrough moment.” (Reina Rose Crowley)
“The kids are growing academically. They're growing physically and mentally,” she says.
“And the sitter visa is just another way for them to thrive.”
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