Childcare Terminology

noun a female child or young woman

• The au pair girl was responsible for looking after the children while the parents were at work.
• The au pair girl is really good with the kids, they love spending time with her.
• The au pair girl is cool, she knows all the best hangout spots in town.
• She was like an au pair girl, always taking care of everyone around her.

noun aunt

• My aunt is a respected professor at the university.
• I'm going to visit my aunt this weekend.
• My aunt is so chill, she always lets me stay up late.
• She's like the cool aunt who always has the best advice.

noun a person who takes care of a child in the absence of the child's parents

verb to care for a child in the absence of the child's parents

• I will need to hire a babysitter to baby sit my children while I attend the conference.
• Can you baby sit my cat for the weekend?
• I'm going to ask my cousin to babysit my little brother tonight.
• As the project manager, it's my responsibility to baby sit the progress of the team's tasks.

noun a person's mother's or father's mother; a female ancestor

noun a familiar term for a grandmother

• The elderly woman is commonly referred to as a granny by her grandchildren.
• My granny makes the best apple pie in town.
• I'm going to visit my g-ma this weekend.
• The old oak tree in the backyard is like a granny, providing shade and comfort to all.

noun A person's mother or a term of endearment for a mother figure

• The young child called out for his mama when he fell and scraped his knee.
• I'm going to visit my mama this weekend and spend some quality time with her.
• My mama always knows how to whip up a delicious meal in no time.
• The ocean waves crashed against the shore like a restless mama trying to soothe her crying child.

noun a weak or indecisive person

adjective lacking vigor or decisiveness; weak; indecisive

• The CEO dismissed the proposal as namby pamby and lacking in substance.
• I can't stand namby pamby people who can't make a decision.
• Stop being so namby pamby and just go for it!
• His argument was so namby pamby, it fell apart under scrutiny.

noun a person, typically a woman, employed to care for a child in its own home

• The nanny was hired to take care of the children while the parents were at work.
• I love my nanny, she's like a second mom to me.
• My nanny is the bomb, she always knows how to make me feel better.
• The government acts like a nanny, constantly telling us what we can and cannot do.

noun a woman or girl employed to look after a young child or children.

• The nursemaid was responsible for taking care of the young children in the household.
• The nursemaid always had her hands full with the rowdy kids.
• The nursemaid was like a babysitter on steroids.
• She acted as a nursemaid to her friends, always looking out for their well-being.

verb a verb that describes the action of being exhausted or tired

• After a long day of hiking, I was completely pooped and ready for a good night's rest.
• I can't hang out tonight, I'm too pooped from work.
• I feel so pooped, I just want to crash on the couch and watch TV.
• Her enthusiasm for the project has pooped out after facing numerous setbacks.

noun a school or program that is held during the summer months, usually offering additional or remedial education

• The university offers a variety of courses during the summer school session.
• I'm thinking of taking a class at summer school to get ahead.
• I heard summer school is a breeze, you should totally do it.
• Attending summer school in this industry means constantly learning and improving your skills.

noun a term used in Filipino culture to refer to a nanny, babysitter, or caregiver

• The yaya is responsible for taking care of the children and managing the household.
• My yaya is like a second mother to me, always looking out for my well-being.
• I can't go out tonight, my yaya is strict and won't let me stay out late.
• The yaya of the group, she always makes sure everyone is taken care of and has what they need.

noun the act or practice of keeping a close and protective watch over someone or something

• The company promised to provide watchcare for their employees' families during the pandemic.
• I'll keep watchcare of your plants while you're on vacation.
• Let's take turns on watchcare duty tonight.
• The government must exercise watchcare over the nation's resources to ensure sustainability.