TVs in nurseries

[sallycinamon]

My daughter (she turned 2 a month ago) is due to move nurseries as her current one is closing. (Sad about this as she has been so happy there and we have found it excellent in every way.) After looking around I found one I liked near home but was told there were no places available. I decided to put her name down for the 'next best' one in my opinion. When I went to drop off the £50 deposit/registration fee one of the carers was putting on a dvd for the children to watch. It was after 5pm and I would say that the remaining 4 children were between 18 months and 2. I think it was a dvd with songs on it. Do you think this is acceptable or should alarm bells be ringing?

Also, i have just heard that a place has become available for dd at my original first choice nursery and I would prefer her to go there. Could the owner of the dvd nursery charge us a months fees if we cancel her place or would it just be a case of losing our £50. I haven't signed anything yet - apart from the cheque and a covering letter!

Would really appreciate some advice on this one.
Thanks

[VengefulSquirrel]

Hiya Sally,

I know that itcould be a really good nursery. But we did take ds out of a nursery for other, really valid reasons (unexplained injuries), and it just so happened that this nursery always showed the kids TV/vids until parents picked up, basically from 5 - 6.30ish. At the time I only felt a small sense of disquiet about the telly thing,then obviously bigger issues cropped up, but in retrospect I realise that this was part of the general lack of care.

Ds subsequently went to 2 nurseries that were EXCELLENT and did not even have a TV.

So, IME, drop this nursery and go for the other one. Sadly Ds who is now 5, remembers his unhappy experiences at the first nursery, and I really really wish the alarm bells had rung sooner.

[sallycinamon]

Thanks for that!

I think I'll go for the other one anyway. I just wasn't sure whether I was being a bit picky about the TV thing. I'm sure there's nothing wrong with a dvd occasionally as long as the care is good the rest of the time. But I suppose you don't know this for sure.

I know I'm repeating myself here but there's no chance the owner could charge us a months fees for dropping out at the last minute is there?

[Mummywannabe]

You need to check your nursery terms and conditions to see if your liable. Should be contained in the prospectus. Have you signed to agree to these? Parents at the nursery I manage sign to say they will agree to T & C's on bottom of application form. I think T.V for the age group you describe is inappropriate in a nursery setting. We do very occassionally have a dvd on 5.30pm-6.00pm for our 3-5yrs but always other things to do also, we feel for chidren that have been at nursery all day this is a nice (occassional) treat and a chance to relax (story time at this time of day just doesn't work with parents arriving and leaving)

[Rhumba]

just read this and now unsure what I need to do and would appreachiate some advice if you don't mind the hijack.

Just moved DD (nearly 2) and DS 4.4 to a new nursery. This was for a variety of reasons one of which was what we felt was to much screen time. Ds seemed to watch TV for what we estimated to be 45-60 mins(by the programs he talked about)and laterly it was also on sometimes later pm so staff could tidy up. They also were allowed to play computer games Cbeebies website etc.

we found recently that the 2-3 room that Dd was in also showed TV.

Anyway few months ago went to see new nursery and discussed my reasons for moving the children with the nursery one of which was TV time. was told that no TV except if related to specific project eg trains or if they had been videoing children would play in back to them.

They started last week and blow me there is a TV in the courner and DS tells me he is alloed to wath it every time he's been in. Discussed with staff who said it was cos he was the only pre-schooler (he goes to a proper preschool in am and they pick him up) and the wee ones were all asleep (in the same room!)

let it go as they said it was only for 20 mins and related it to activity they were doing the following week. Came home and told DH who was really pissed off and also remembered loads of DVD and videos being there.

What do I do now? Want DS to be treated as older child but feel concerned that he is being parked in frontt of TV also concerned that screen time can be extended and what starts out as 20 mins over time exttends to 40+. he they siad he'd also been playing computer games. Suggested he "read" books and have quiet time whihc they said they had also done with him.

it's a new nursery so maybe as more join they'll have more structured time with older ones but what should I do.

Can i tell them just to get rid of their tv??

Sorry for long post and hijack!!

[MightyMoosh]

Sometimes its invaluable for staff to pop on cbeebies for 20 min to tidy up, particularly after lunch and at pick-up time as we were under staffed. However parents dont assume that as theres no TV they wont watch it- one nursery I worked at put DVDs on computer, parents none the wiser.

[Highlander]

From a psychological point of view, children under 3 do not 'understand' cartoons. The effect is purely hypnotic.

I complained at DS's nursery and successfully had them removed.

[lemonaid]

Does that mean that my 2.7 yo is a genius because he comments on what is going on in a cartoon? Or is it some freaky hypnosis-related coincidence that he appears to "understand" them?

Not that he watches many of them, mind you.

His nursery does maybe half an hour of television twice a week (in bad weather -- hardly any in the summer).