Parenting Mother sparks debate after revealing her ‘unpopular parenting opinions’ include no sleepovers Before you outsource the babysitter? Breanna Quigley advises against it, citing ‘young men growing into independent young men who shouldn’t be babysat’ Breanna Quigley says: ‘No, I don’t like the idea of a kid having a babysitter.’ Photograph: Marianne Williams/Guardian
“I love having parents say to me, ‘You know what, Breanna, I think your parenting style is more popular than yours,’” says Breanna Quigley, referring to the fact that her views on parenting have gained her dozens of fans on social media.
We’ve found your parenting voice. Tell us what it is in this open thread
Born and raised in the US, the mother of two young boys reflects on why she thinks that parents often have to fall back on their own creativity when they realise they just aren’t up to the job.
Quigley’s style of parenting has been observed in YouTube videos, which have combined with her blog to popularise her insights.
Breanna Quigley
Here are some her personal and shared views on parenting:
“I don’t like the idea of a kid having a babysitter … for some strange reason I think that babies are very naturally curious, they just aren’t very smart and are definitely in a phase, that they are not able to give full, sustainable care for their child, and I think that that is a shame.”
“I’m a writer. I work from home. I work at a full-time pace. I cook.”
“I don’t like the idea of those kids having on-demand food from a restaurant for dinner because as adults, young men growing into independent young men who shouldn’t be babysat”
“I mean, I’m a wife and I love my boys dearly. They are the most awesome babies in the world, and I have absolutely no problem with changing nappies and ‘giving it to ’em’ for 10 hours straight, but I’m going to be the big single human to say this, but teenagers are really terrible. And to me it looks like they have been burnt by the circumstances of their lives. I just don’t like them.”
“Women should stay home with the kids, but men don’t have any good solutions to the recent onslaught of child care that’s flooded society. We haven’t ever done this before and I just think it’s a really crappy time.”
Quigley has posted several times in the thread of her opinion on child care, including children’s books, clothing and babysitting.
She’s not all judgemental. She is one of the few in the thread that believes that “how you raise your kids should be completely up to you … It’s our choices as parents and their outcomes that people are responsible for.”