It’s a popular misconception that governesses weren’t traditionally assigned to boys. This is not totally accurate, though. Although females were more likely to have governesses, boys would also occasionally have tutors or governesses assigned to them for their education.
Rich families would frequently engage a governess or tutor to help with their children’s education during the 18th and 19th centuries, especially during the early years. The governess would instruct the kids in fundamental areas like reading, writing, math, and others. However, as boys were frequently sent away to boarding schools at a young age, governesses were more common for females than for boys.
Nevertheless, there have been cases where governesses have taught boys. For instance, a family would also employ a governess or tutor for their sons if they resided in a rural area without any suitable schools or if the parents desired that their children receive their education at home.
Boys were occasionally given governesses as well for discipline and moral instruction. It was thought that young males, especially those without mothers, needed a strong female role model to inculcate in them excellent morals and values.
The second query, “Is it babysit or babysat?” is now next. In the past tense, “babysat” is the appropriate term. For instance, “Last night I babysat my neighbor’s kids.” In the present tense, the word “babysit” is used, as in “I’m going to babysit for my sister tonight.”
Lastly, how was the term “babysit” coined? Early in the 20th century, the phrase “babysitting” was used to describe an adolescent female who would watch a baby while the parents were away. The phrase was a compound of the terms “baby” and “sitting,” since the girl would actually sit with the infant. With time, the phrase began to refer to looking after older kids as well, and it gained popularity as a method for young women to supplement their income.
In conclusion, while governesses were traditionally more common for girls, guys occasionally had tutors or governesses assigned to them for their education. Early in the 20th century, the phrase “babysitting” was used to describe an adolescent female who would look after a baby while the parents were away. These days, many young women use it as a method to supplement their income while taking care of their children.