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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that my 2 year old DS shouldn't be watching TV at nursery?

31 replies

ilikeyoursleeves · 12/01/2010 20:18

Today DH picked up DS from his nursery at lunchtime and he said that all the kids were sitting round a TV while the 2 nursery workers sat staring into space! He has only just moved into this room since leaving the infants one he has been in for a year, he always had loads to do in the infants room and we would get written feedback on what he had done each session and the workers were great. This new 2-3 year room just feels crap in comparison, I've never had written feedback in the 6 ish times he's been there and the workers faces are constantly tripping them. Then this, watching TV- what the hell am I paying £35 a day for????????? I try not to let him watch it at home never mind paying someone to let him watch it!

I'm not sure if this is the norm or not though? AIBU in thinking it shouldn't be? Does your nursery show TV to 2 year olds?

OP posts:
helpYOUiWILL · 12/01/2010 20:29

my ds nursery doesn't have one. I would NOT be happy about this. How long are they watching it for? I would seriously reconsider this nursery as childcare.

shivster1980 · 12/01/2010 20:30

My DS is 3.8 and didn't attend his current nursery when he was two. At his current one they also watch something (DVD, Recorded TV programme) at this time. I think it's a bit of quiet time at this time of day as some children are going home after lunch (like my DS) and they like to separate the nursery day in this way. Also gives the staff a chance to eat their sandwich I have noticed.

I understand where you are coming from and if it was at any other time of day it would be unreasonable to me but seems sensible at lunchtime as it is a time of transition.

zapostrophe · 12/01/2010 20:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

MrsHappy · 12/01/2010 20:32

My DD has been to 2 different nurseries and the children didn't watch TV at either of them. It isn't what you pay for.

TaurielTest · 12/01/2010 20:34

YANBU, that sounds a bit crap. Odd there's such a change from the babies section though - you could maybe talk to the manager / head, ask her to explain why there are such differences in general, and raise your concerns about the TV at the same time?

aSilverLining · 12/01/2010 20:35

YANBU Sounds like a nursery I used to work at, right down to the age of the room! (I left in disgust at the crappy practice, which included under staffed/over ratios - another indictaor of which is staff not being able to go for an actual legally entitled to break....). Change in procedure in terms of daily feedback from one room to another is a bit shoddy too isn't it.

I was speaking to my DS's speech and language therapist about TV in nursery and when I mentioned the one I had worked in she said "Oh yes I know the one" with a face. Not impressive really IMO, whats wrong with a comfy corner and books for a quiet time?

maxpower · 12/01/2010 20:36

YANBU - my DD's nursery has no tv. TBH, for the money I spend on her going there, I'd be mightily annoyed if I thought the staff were sitting around while the children watched the tv!

wendywoo2 · 12/01/2010 20:41

I agree with shivster1980, my little girl did sometimes watch a pre recorded programme or DVD at times when they are trying to get the children calm, and the transition between the mornings session and lunch time, I don't think there is anything wrong with this, as long as the tv isn't on for the whole nursery session! She has just started primary school, and they even do it there, in the transition time between end of class and about to go home time, and the school is labelled an "excellent" school. So I think it's normal, as long as it's not all day long, just keep an eye on it x

cinnamon81 · 12/01/2010 21:11

I would hate this, especially for a 2 year old. Theres lots of other things they could do if they want a bit of quiet such as story time or some relaxation exercises/yoga.

I would have a word to see if its a regular thing or if they had staff off sick and couldn't manage to keep the chidren otherwise amused.

alicet · 12/01/2010 21:31

I don't have a problem with this although clearly in the minority!

My dc's nursery does loads of activities with them and I am glad they have a bit of chilling out time tbh. I would be tired doing all the other things they do all say without a break! And when I ahve the boys at home they have some tv down time too.

Can understand why you feel as you do as I felt the same when I first found out about tv at nursery but tbh when I sat down and thought about it I realised it was almost certainly a positive thing

domesticslattern · 12/01/2010 21:56

My DD very occasionally watches TV at nursery. It doesn't bother me. It is not the spawn of satan at home, so it's not evil at nursery either. I would say that she watches considerably less at nursery than at the childminder and I would be if it was very often. So I'm with alicet on this.

Oh, and £35 a day - lucky you!

maxybrown · 12/01/2010 22:02

He can come to my house and watch it for free if you like? lol, joking. I've worked at many nurseries over the years, and never come across this

RockBird · 12/01/2010 22:04

Regardless of the rights and wrongs of your nursery and their methods, you are paying £35 a day for them to look after your child while you and his father do something else, (not judging, my 2yo DD goes to nursery as well).

And yes, lucky you at £35 a day. I pay £55.

Claire2009 · 12/01/2010 22:06

Same at DD & DS's nursery, at around 12.15pm all the children are sat watching tv, it's quiet time I think. I'm not keen.

GlastonburyGoddess · 12/01/2010 22:10

Before sending my ds2 to his second nursery, I visited one and whilst i was there they sat the kids infront of a video at 1pm. I had a few reserves about the place anyway and that just blew it, he did not go there.

his old nursery would put a dvd on between 5.30-6pm, whilst the children were waiting to be picked up, this i find totally acceptable as i know it was never used during the day.

I would be disgusted if I caught a nursery doing that, like you say most nurseries cost £30-40+ a day and its not acceptable to use a machine to occupy the children.

MNingatmidnight · 12/01/2010 22:17

I can understand 15 mins TV time if it's a funded scheme or free childcare as then being minimally is understandable, so staff are taking quick lunches, need to clear up etc.

However - when you are paying for it (OP £35 a day is cheap, it's £45-£50 a day round here SE London) then it's not on really. Like someone else said, chuck em on the bean bags with some picture books for 20 mins if they want them to have some quiet calm time after eating.

Cinamon - Do 2 yr olds do relaxation excercises and yoga?

pigletmania · 12/01/2010 22:19

TV in nursery , thought that it was bad for toddlers to watch too much TV and the fact that you are paying them! Why cant they chill with a book or a toy on some comfy cushions.

Janos · 12/01/2010 22:20

Suspect I may be in the minority view here too, but what's wrong with them watching a bit of careful selected TV or a DVD, as long as it's not all day?

Children do not need to have every minute of their day crammed with activities.

Different matter of course if it's something that happens a lot or they have it on constantly.

midnightexpress · 12/01/2010 22:20

My DSs get a bit at lunchtime and I hate it. I pick them up at lunchtime so I try to get there early enough so that they miss it most days.

pigletmania · 12/01/2010 22:22

Nothing wrong with a bit of TV at home, but at nusery where fees can be quite high. My dd watches tv its not taboo or banned at all, after all i need some time to MN

Mshalfcut · 12/01/2010 22:23

Its a bit of TV..no biggy imo

YABU

Janos · 12/01/2010 22:25

Not for my DS either pigletmania - he also goes to nursery, tis expensive right enough.

I really wouldn't mind it though - if just for say 1/2 hour a day or something like that?

Obv people have stronger view on it than I do though.

MrsKitty · 12/01/2010 22:34

I quite regularly find them watching TV when I pick DS up in the afternoon - It bugs me a little bit because

  1. It's never listed on the activities board or on his feedback sheet as being something he's done, therefore if it weren't for the fact I showed up to collect him when it was on then I wouldn't know about it
  1. because it's not listed on his sheet I have no idea how long it's been on for. They often seem to be watching Disney/Pixar films - do they watch it all? If they do then that's a significant amount of time.
  1. I pay £40 a day - I could put the TV on at home for a lot cheaper! Half an hour of TV I don't have issue with, but like I say, there's zero feedback on amount.

and 4. I could do with putting the TV on when I get home to give me a chance to cook dinner etc, but prefer not to if he's been glued to the TV for the last hour in nursery!

Rosebud05 · 12/01/2010 22:55

I think it depends on how the TV/DVD is used and the ages of the kids thb. I think an appropriate DVD at the 'nearly 3' end of being 2 is very different to Disney the day after a kid's 2nd birthday. Dd's nursery sometimes have a video on in the 'lounge' from 5pm during the winter months when most of the pick-ups occur (nursery closes at 5.45pm). They use it in quite a creative way eg DVDs tying in with activities they've been doing and it's in a side room adjacent to the main area where there are a variety of activities set up. In the summer the kids are outside. I don't have a problem with a short time at the end of the day.

kif · 13/01/2010 09:58

I was surprised when my Dd mentioned that she'd seen 'Finding Nemo' at nursery. On closer investigation, it turned out that videos were used if the weather was too bad to play in the garden after lunch (e.g. torrential rain, snow). I've saw how the kids played in the garden - running around like loons climbing and jumping. I understand why the staff wanted to head off the transference of such behaviour indoors. That's exactly the circumstances under which I use TV (everyone a bit overtired/overhyped and i want to avoid arguments and accidents) - so it's a-ok with me.

Dd now goes to school and they also watch videos if the weather is too bad to play outside. There is another thread about an OP whose daughter was terrified by boys running around the classroom when they were kept indoors over play time. Sounds like a nice distracting video would have been netter all round in that situation.

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