Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

396 replies

5footMama · 11/01/2021 14:32

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.

OP posts:
UrAWizHarry · 11/01/2021 20:13

@GhostCurry

“ They wouldn't do this in a nursery or anything.”

Uh... yes they do

Indeed, all nurseries totally stick the kids in front of a film or an episode of peppa from time to time and they are lying if they say they don't.

Ours call it 'the smartboard' but clearly that means 'we stuck a cartoon on for 20 minutes so we could get the mess cleared up a bit'.

WRT childminders, I wouldn't care less if they occasionally stuck the kids in front of Frozen or whatever. Obviously not every day but once every so often? Totally fine.

LBOCS2 · 11/01/2021 20:22

My DC are out of the house from 8am - 6.30pm in normal, non Covid times. Now they're older they're at school 9-3.30 with our childminder doing wrap around care, but when they were younger they'd be with her all day. I know for a fact that at least 3 days a week there will be a film on for the kids when she's cooking dinner. I really don't care. They've been at school all day; they need relaxation and decompression time, just like I do. They still manage to produce an alarming impressive array of crafts to bring home and they don't always watch what's on - she has anything up to 6 kids there so sometimes it's something that interests them, sometimes it isn't 🤷🏼‍♀️

Like a PP said - I want them to have a home away from home experience. They don't need hothousing, they'll learn the other bits in their own time through more formalised settings.

WhatAboutTheRoses · 11/01/2021 20:45

[quote itsgettingweird]@GhostCurry it was a typo 🤦‍♀️ batted an eyelid Grin[/quote]
Hehehe ok! It just looked funny to me Grin

Battered eyelid n chips please

Snaketime · 11/01/2021 21:34

I'm sorry but not many kids films are 2 hours long. Most on average are 1hr 20mins.
It also depends on what the films are that they are putting on, some are actually educational, such as Octonauts. And just because the tv is on doesn't mean she isn't still sat playing with the younger ones. I think YABU.

justab0utsurviving · 11/01/2021 21:35

I have a wonderful childminder and her house is the first place my 4 years old has watched most of the movies she knows. I really don't care as she does loads of other stuff. My DD comes home with all sorts of glitter covered card and pictures and models. They go out to the park, forest etc. They love her house. I use pre school for early years education for the other days of the week when not at the childminder

Original poster
5footMama · 11/01/2021 21:49

Ok. I am being unreasonable. Just didn't realise it was thing that was common. I'll get my coat.

OP posts:
Lockeddownagain · 11/01/2021 21:52

Have you ever been a childminder? You work 10hours without a 2minute break
Schools put films on for kids why shouldn't childminders.
The really small kids dont watch them anyway but it's a lovely experience to sit and watch a film together we used to have duvet mornings and watch films it was lovely and very chilled out in the holidays its childcare I taught my children life skills and relaxing together is one of them
Dont put your child to a childminder your expectations are too high but them have a full day with 6kids without 1 break and see how you cope

oblada · 11/01/2021 21:54

Nurseries do do that. And school does too...
If it's every day then not cool but occasionally why not. Having said that most kids under 3 won't have the attention span for a full movie anyway.
It wouldn't be a major concern for me.
I did however leave a childminder who used to have my daughter watch the SAME movie (Happy Feet!)every flipping day and she would even put it on the parent's summary of the day or whatever. Clearly she didn't see any issue with it. I wasn't impressed (because it was the same movie and it was every day) but it wasn't the main issue with her tbh. She was a real nutjob sadly.

ChestnutStuffing · 11/01/2021 21:59

Are you aware that a childminder has to follow exactly the same curriculum as a nursery. We have all the same paperwork and have to complete observations and learning journeys and trackers etc. No difference except our numbers are smaller.

Not where I live they aren't. Childminders are often very good, but people send their kids there because they want a home environment, not a "curriculum".

AhNowTed · 11/01/2021 22:00

Yes you're being ridiculous.

Nothing wrong with a movie.

I assume you allow your own children to watch films.. this is no different.

There's only so much crafting one can do.

ChestnutStuffing · 11/01/2021 22:02

Is Octonauts meant to be educational? I always thought it was meant to be mind-numbing.

oblada · 11/01/2021 22:05

@ChestnutStuffing

Are you aware that a childminder has to follow exactly the same curriculum as a nursery. We have all the same paperwork and have to complete observations and learning journeys and trackers etc. No difference except our numbers are smaller.

Not where I live they aren't. Childminders are often very good, but people send their kids there because they want a home environment, not a "curriculum".

If you are in the UK then childminder certainly have to follow the same curriculum. It is a home environment but also a curriculum... the 2 are not incompatible.
Wearywithteens · 11/01/2021 22:09

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn at the poster's request.

Wheresmykimchi · 11/01/2021 22:34

What a depressing read! Do people really think like this? I'm not sending my child to a childminder if they watch films Grin

ODFOx · 11/01/2021 22:40

It's a matter of degree surely?
When mine went to a childminder (in days of yore) she would put a video or dvd movie on for the older, after-school children on a Friday once every few weeks, with popcorn and hotdogs and squash to drink. The babies and preschoolers were too little to enjoy a movie so stayed in another room. It was an occasional treat and made into a 'cinema session' rather than being a television free for all.

Is this what you potential CM mentions OP? It's a far cry from dumping the tinies in front of cbbc all day!

saraclara · 11/01/2021 22:52

Childminders are meant to be home away from home.

That's what they used to be, and I didn't realise that had changed. I chose a childminder to look after my kids because I wanted then to have a life as much like the one they had with me as a SAHP, as possible. I didn't want them to be one of many, I wanted them to be in a home not an institution, and I wanted them to have another one person who was important to them and who they would bond with.

Their day with the CM was like their day with me. They'd maybe go out to the CM friends and play with their kids while the adults had a coffee and a chat. Maybe go to the supermarket or run some errands. maybe a trip to the library etc. Of course, they'd do some arty crafty stuff and have stimulating and educational toys etc, but I wasn't looking for an education. I was looking for a second home where they felt relaxed, happy, and secure.

If CMs homes have become hothouses where chilling out and watching the TV for a little while is somehow frowned on, I find that really depressing.

saraclara · 11/01/2021 22:57

it's made me doubt whether to send DD (14m)

My GD is 14 months. I had her for the day last week. I'm afraid that we watched three episodes of Hello Duggee. Blush

delilahbucket · 11/01/2021 22:57

My childminder used to do a movie afternoon every so often. Got all the beanbags out, kids made popcorn, they loved it! Absolutely nothing wrong with it all and I think you are being a bit precious. Also, kids films are not normally more than 90 minutes. Don't think I've ever come across one 2 hours long.

ImAllOut · 11/01/2021 22:58

@saraclara my 2 year old definitely watches lots of TV, squashes playdoh into carpets and bakes occasional shit biscuits with her childminder. She also went for weekly babycinos when cafes were open, and goes to the post office/supermarket/on errands with her. All is not lost!

Thehop · 11/01/2021 22:59

I wouldn’t like this at all.

I was a child under and had an odd educational programme in my planned activities, or a Christmas film. That’s it.

Iminaglasscaseofemotion · 11/01/2021 23:00

@5footMama

Ok. I am being unreasonable. Just didn't realise it was thing that was common. I'll get my coat.
What? Children enjoying watching films? Films being a a nice passtime every now and then? Confused
saraclara · 11/01/2021 23:04

[quote ImAllOut]@saraclara my 2 year old definitely watches lots of TV, squashes playdoh into carpets and bakes occasional shit biscuits with her childminder. She also went for weekly babycinos when cafes were open, and goes to the post office/supermarket/on errands with her. All is not lost![/quote]
Phew! My GD will need childcare soon and I'd been talking to my daughter about how much nicer being with a CM is. I was starting to think I'd misled her!

Coyoacan · 11/01/2021 23:13

Personally I prefer to keep the option of lazy parenting for myself and would prefer a childminder or a nursery that did not use videos.

MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously · 11/01/2021 23:24

Childminders are very poorly paid when you consider the level of responsibility and the expectations to educate children in their care. The hours are long and there are no breaks during the day. If she wants to put the telly on and build some downtime into the day, that seems sensible to me.
I think that some parents forget that she is self employed and offers a service - if you don't like what she offers you are free to pay much more money and get a nanny.

Wheresmykimchi · 11/01/2021 23:26

Do you agree with the sentiment of not being able to do all the home learning OP?