To expect my child doesn't watch tele at nursery?

[Ralph871]

My almost 3 year old has been attending the same nursery since we moved back to the UK from Australia last year. I'm happy with the nursery and he really likes it there, his wee brother who is 18 months started going a few months ago and I've had no complaints however tonight when I picked him up he was sat with 5 other kids watching cartoons on a large computer monitor, this is the third night in as many weeks that this has been the case.

He watches Tele at home of course although we do try to be on the stricter side but regardless of that Am I being unreasonable to expect that he doesn't watch tele at nursery?

I'm currently paying £1200 per month for them both to attend three days each as I work full time nightshift, kind of pisses me off to pay over a third of my salary to childcare and then find him sat watching tele.

Our nursery sometimes does this for the last few kids (my four year old is often one of the last ones to be picked up). I have no issue with it. Winds them down after a really busy day while the staff get a start on clearing up.

I’d be annoyed if they were watching tv all day but I know that’s not the case. To be honest as long as my daughter is happy and settled while I’m at work that’s really the main thing for me.

I think YANBU. I like that my child is having screen free time when at nursery.

Is it just an ‘end of day’ type activity until you/ other parents arrive?

I wouldn’t be fussed about once a week, they can’t possibly sit there and watch tv all day, my toddler doesn’t even sit still for a few minutes let alone long enough to give him square eyes 😂

It annoyed me at my children’s nurseries too. YANBU.

What time are you collecting him at? It would depend if it was an end of day type thing for like the last 15/20 minutes. I'm presuming the place closes at a certain time for all children and the staff don't get extra to stay on after that time usually.

In my dd’s nursery they do show them certain things on tablets and once they let her watch Peppa Pig when she was ill and I was on my way to collect her. But I would share your concerns based on what you’ve said. I would just ask the manager / room leader about how much time they spend watching cartoons. Maybe what they say will reassure you or if they can see you are concerned perhaps they’ll ease off a bit.

So long as it's not all day, I wouldn't mind. It's hard work looking after tinies especially when they're super excited, so it's a good idea for everybody to have a little break and calm down.

Our nursery does it with the last kids to be picked up, so 4:30pm onwards. If it was during the day it would annoy me I think.

Yeah, you kind of are. Why can't they have some downtime? It's 3 times in 3 weeks so a weekly treat. Not like you're paying 1/3 of your salary for him to be taped to a TV for 30 hours a week.

I think at the end of the day when children are being collected it’s fine. Staff will be tidying up/setting up for Monday and usually won’t be paid to stay later to do this. As part of a varied day a bit of tv won’t cause any harm.

Wouldn't bother me at all.

If you're picking up right newr the end of the day then a calm activity like watching TV or reading books is a good way to keep the last few children in one place whilst the staff finish tidying and setting up. Otherwise they will still be there doing unpaid tidying up.

YABU. £600 per child for that much childcare is a decent price. What other things do they do besides watch telly?

This used to happen in DS' old class - he was always one of the last to be collected so they'd let them watch Mr tumble for 15 minutes or so. He's moved up to preschool in the same nursery and it doesn't happen now - there's more kids staying later (even though it's all the same children as in his old class 🤷) so they just give them some colouring to do instead.

Bit of telly at the end of the day? It's fine.

My sons nursery used to allow the last few children to watch TV for the last hour or so, more so on Fridays when I assume they were doing a deep clean for the weekend, setting up for Monday etc.
Didn’t bother me at all

YABU. They’ve been running about with lots of mental stimulation all day, I’d be quite happy for mine to have a little wind down time watching tv just before I picked them up.

YABU given you can't provide full details. Hours of cartoons a day would of course be a piss take but at the end of the day with staff involved with comings and goings its fine.

It wasn't used often but DS attended a nursery with a cinema room for them to watch a Disney/Pixar film from time to time. Kids can learn from all kinds of stimulus and keep in mind these nurseries are not educational establishments.

A bit of TV at the end of the day once a week sounds fine to me.

When we were looking at nurseries years ago we discounted one because they watched TV every day after lunch. For a childminder I think its OK but not for a nursery. The nursery we put the kids to read stories at the end of the day if the weather was bad but had all the kids in the outdoor spaces at the end of the day if it was dry. Made pick up easier.

Also, in what world is 4.30pm near the end of the nursery day? Most kids are at nursery until ~6pm.

My child gets 0 screen time (he's only 15 months though) so yes this would annoy me.

I would not expect them to be pacifying my child with screen time during any chargeable period.

Most nurseries do this at the end of the day for the last few ones while they clean/ to wind them down ect. By this tired the kids are usually shattered anyway

For a bit of clarification I normally pick him up at 5.30pm so it is at the end of the day, however today I picked him up at 4.45pm because his wee brother had taken unwell. Nursery is open till 6pm so it's not like it's just in the last 15 minutes before closing up time.

I limit screen time quite a lot because I feel it adversely affects his behavior if he has too much. I've had to be a bit more lax recently as my husband has started a new job WFH and some nights I'm leaving for nightshift before he finishes. On my days off I try to take them out as often as possible regardless of weather or how tired I am from work to avoid them being stuck in watching TV

The reason I haven't replied till now is because he was just having a massive tantrum over my refusal to change to another TV show, this is my issue, it's not just a bit of Tele at the end of the day, he left nursery already wired from watching crappy cartoons and his behavior hasnt been great which isn't like him and has made my evening very stressful as his wee brother is sick and needing put to bed prior to me going to work at 7.30pm to work a 12 hour nightshift.

Also to the person who said my childcare fees are reasonable - aye OK 🙄

At home time it’s absolutely fine, we do this in our SEND school. Without it it’s absolute mayhem trying to make sure everyone has all their things, making sure no one escapes or goes home in the wrong taxi etc.
With something on tv they all sit there calmly watching it whilst we can take one child out at a time and have a chat to the parents and make sure they have got everything.

Also a lot of children’s tv can be very educational, even cartoons. So it will be beneficial to your child as long as it’s not all day and they’re getting enough social interaction.