To think a childminder shouldn't have kids watching films on the telly?

[5footMama]

A childminder in my village says she "sometimes" has a movie afternoon with her charges (age 10m-3yrs) and it's made me doubt whether to send DD (14m)

Is it just me, or should a childminder not be using the TV like that???
I mean, I'm not anti telly and if they were watching a bit of a program about penguins or something because they're learning about penguins,then cool. Bit to just put them in front of the telly for 2hrs when it supposed to be looking after them seems a bit crap. They wouldn't do this in a nursery or anything.

This is absurd.

It makes me so sad when people criticise 'childminders' as a group

Our childminder is like family - she loves our children - and that's why I chose her not a nursery - totally personal decision - there are great Cms and great nurseries, bad CMS , bad nurseries.

In fact, this thread made me laugh as our CM used tv quite a lot but you know what - it's a long day! If you had a group of toddlers and babies from 8am til 6pm of course you would use films! kids that age need to chill out

I think if you have babies you dont understand how much parents of toddlers need tv !

My daughters childminder has movie afternoons, I have no problem with it and I'm quite relaxed with screen time, but I'm aware that its very much a personal choice. If you're not happy with that kind of thing find somewhere else, it has to work for you and your child

@5footmama if this is not a wind up then to be honest your children should be home with you at this time. They may give other children covid whose parents are not so precious and value a childminder.

@mathanxiety
It’s child oriented entertainment, not North Korean propaganda

My kids are older now, but I was fairly relaxed about screen time. One of my favourite memories is when my youngest was still a preschooler but the others were at school - he still needed a daytime nap but fought going to sleep. Every day after lunch, we would lie on the sofa to watch one of ‘his’ programmes (usually Thomas) - he would chill out but not fall asleep. Then it would be ‘my turn’ to choose a programme (the news) - he’d be asleep in seconds and I’d lie there with him having a lovely snuggle!

I'd have no issue with this. You could make tickets with the older children, watch popcorn popping (from a safe distance), draw pictures of a character, dress up like a character.

I'm sure the children won't be spending all day every day in front of a film.

Nurseries have the odd 'TV afternoon' too.

Doesn't it depend on how long the childminder has the children? If it's from 7am to 6pm then why not. Children only need to follow an EYFS curriculum if they're of that age and that would only be for school hours.

This wouldn't bother me at all.

No issue with this at all. My son is nearly 2 and loves Charlie and the numbers and hey duggee! We often have a cwtch and watch them. I wouldn't want CM to do it every day but now and again yes.

@RubyFakeLips brilliant :)

@starpatch

No you are right. Childminders are ofsted regulated they are supposed to be following the early years curriculum.

I agree with you. It’s lazy to just put children in front of a TV for 2 hours when you’re being paid good money by their parents. @Nohomemadecandles schools do not have a full afternoon watching TV. Maybe a film on the last day of term.

In fairness op, if you dont send your
Child to the childminder, another child will quickly take her place 🤷🏾‍♂️
Yabu

Op schools do this to fill an afternoon sometimes.

@mumnowformerrockstar

In fairness op, if you dont send your Child to the childminder, another child will quickly take her place 🤷🏾‍♂️ Yabu

Also op, they do watch movies in nurseries/ schools

Honestly think that people have this magical, rosey view of nurseries, in that their children are being constantly entertained, stimulated with educational activities. That's really not the case.

There’s a really highly rated nursery in the village; people bring their kids from miles around. They advertise themselves as offering nature walks, outdoor learning and the like. We saw them out with the kids when it was warmer as we’d gone to get a coffee and sit out on the village green for a change of scene. There was a group of 8 or so kids sitting on a mat on the grass, with three young women chatting and looking at their phones, occasionally shoving a breadstick in the direction of one of the kids and telling one of them to stop whining. This went on for at least 40 minutes. I’d rather my child had been watching a film, to be honest - would have been more stimulating. I don’t see what’s wrong with a movie afternoon if the children are happy and engaged with it.

@PinkPandaBear School don't have them till 6pm!

Sometimes is fine. Sometimes is reasonable. In a sonetimes 8-6 day, an afternoon watching films won't harm a pre schooler! I'd rather they were cared forcto be honest.

The only way to absolutely guarantee that you are 100% happy with what happens with your children is to stay at home with them.

But I’d put my life on the TV being on sometimes if you do.

[quote Nohomemadecandles]@PinkPandaBear School don't have them till 6pm!

Sometimes is fine. Sometimes is reasonable. In a sonetimes 8-6 day, an afternoon watching films won't harm a pre schooler! I'd rather they were cared forcto be honest.[/quote]
And when we do.. guess what? Friday afternoon is always movie afternoon at after school club.

honestly if you don't like it then vote with your feet.

she clearly has plenty of clients as most sensible people realise that this is completely normal. 10 hours of constant activities sounds like a nightmare for all concerned when no playgroups are accessible and it's really too chilly for playgrounds. A nice cosy film or cartoon is not going to do any damage -even if (shock horror) they watched one every week.....

@EdwardCullensBiteOnTheSide

Oh my goodness do not send to such a lazy childminder! She is totally wrong to not have the kids out doing a fully engaged activity every single day all day come rain or shine 🙄 Bloody hell.

What sort of activities did you have in mind, given the pandemic?

No that's not great IMO. I would find out exactly what her schedule is and what they're doing the rest of the time. If it's really just occasional and not for long and they spend most of their time on other activities that's one thing, but there are also minders who just stick kids in front of the TV all afternoon and obviously they won't say that to parents so I would do my best to make sure.

They do it in nurseries too. It's shit.

@NataliaOsipova

Honestly think that people have this magical, rosey view of nurseries, in that their children are being constantly entertained, stimulated with educational activities. That's really not the case.

There’s a really highly rated nursery in the village; people bring their kids from miles around. They advertise themselves as offering nature walks, outdoor learning and the like. We saw them out with the kids when it was warmer as we’d gone to get a coffee and sit out on the village green for a change of scene. There was a group of 8 or so kids sitting on a mat on the grass, with three young women chatting and looking at their phones, occasionally shoving a breadstick in the direction of one of the kids and telling one of them to stop whining. This went on for at least 40 minutes. I’d rather my child had been watching a film, to be honest - would have been more stimulating. I don’t see what’s wrong with a movie afternoon if the children are happy and engaged with it.

I have worked in nurseries and yes they are definitely not as cosy / child Activity centred as the beautiful Online photos/ brochures would have you believe.

The nursery all my friends raved about left a crying baby face down on the floor the entire time I was there filling out forms, until I pointed out that the poor wee thing couldn't roll over.

We got our deposit back on that place, especially when combined with the 'secure' door which was propped open by a pram