How to tackle the presence of a computer in my DS's nursery room and its affect on DS?

[catchafox]

My DS is 2.6. We don't let him use the computer at home. We don't have an Ipad. He watches one or two short (10 min DVDs) at home every other day. I love computers and technology - I just don't want him becoming stuck on them too early.

In his nursery - which is wonderful, and we are v v happy with it - where he is 2 x a week, there is a computer in his room. I assume it's part of the Early Years programme. They show various programmes/educational stuff. They do lots of stuff with the kids, so I know it's not on all the time.

The other day we were told when we picked him up that he was very keen to get on it. They insisted he was only for five minutes (at a time?) and others wanted it, so they took turns. I made it really clear to the key worker that it's the last thing I want him to do while there. She really understood.

Today my DH dropped him off and he went straight to the computer.

I understand this is not everyone's bug bear, but this really concerns me.

I know I have to trust that the nursery hear my views but do I speak to them further about it? Ask them their policy on how long its on for? What we do about him if he is really grabby for it?

I am fairly confident that neither Bill Gates nor Steve Jobs had computers as preschoolers.

Totallynaive despite being a EY teacher and feeling there is a place for purposeful and moderated computer use in EY when it comes to education policy what research do Ofsted of the Government ever take notice of? Currently they are proposing that 5yr olds are formally assessed on entry to primary school and that KS1 children onwards are banded nationally in 10% bands so they can be more easily compared with peers.

It's all about making sure "our children don't get left behind" and "not apologising for having high standards for our children"

It's funny, maybe, but some of the posts aimed at convincing us that there is nothing to worry about, just confirm for me that there is indeed something to worry about! References to 'earning power', for instance.

But I'm not saying that they should use iPad or computer to the exclusion of everything else just that they are a big part of life now and that playing with them a bit won't hurt them and in fact is just another skill to learn. DS likes playing simple iPad games and equally enjoys his push along monkey, puzzles, books etc I really don't get why people get so upset about this!

personally I think the best thing we can do with technology for the young children is to normalise it, just make it a part of day to day life which is used in moderation and alongside everything else.

I can't see what is to be gained by forbidding children to use something which, whether we like it or not, is going to play a part in their future life. My normalising its use it stops being something quite so exciting.

Why can't we just agree to disagree.
As far as I can tell most poster either say 'two is a bit young and OP is within her rights not to want screen time' or 'a little bit is fine' both completely valid arguments IMO. There is a million different ways to bring up happy healthy kids.
Besides The OP was not asking about IT but about the nursery not following her wishes abd I'm sure no one is arguing they should ignore her.
What lucky children we all have that we care so much about these things, if only that little boy Daniel Pelka had people who cared like that for him.

I am the polar opposite of OP.
But then ds2 is 4 and has just left nursery. I was very happy for him to use the computer at pre-school, learn how to type his name, save a file to his own folder and learn how to use a mouse. I think all these are fab.

Amiee - I'm not saying the nursery should ignore her, but if you send your child to nursery, especially once they are in a nursery/pre-school class, you have to give up some control and just accept the way things are. Not possible on a 1:4, 1:8 or even 1:13 ratio to provide 20 completely individualised experiences. "Don't let my child use the computer" is a bit like saying "don't let my child use the sandpit" - very hard for staff to police.

I never said the nursery ignored me, by the way. The nursery are excellent. They have totally acknowledged what I said and wanted. I was voicing my fears about how I handle it should it be a problem.

The problem is asking nurseries to stop children from taking part in any activity makes it hard for staff - and the child - because by the nature of the eyfs settings have to have access to a whole variety of things which will include technology, children are supposed to be given free choice in which activities they play on.

Unless either a) the child or b) that activity has a member of staff constantly watching it that makes it hard for them to make sure it is never used. It also means they have to stop one child when others are allowed to do something.

Much easier to trust the nursery to make sure children are being encouraged to take part in a variety of activities and not spending too long doing any one thing IMO.

My DD is 5yo and rarely uses my computer as I work from home. My computers are my work tools and I can't have her damaging them.

She will get plenty of time as she grows up to use computers and ipads etc. I see friends kids spending hours on the computer, while DD is at home playing imaginary games with her toys. I would far rather she is doing that, then spending hours gazing mindlessly at a screen. She watches tv, she can play the Wii, Nintendo etc. She has an Innotab with games on, but she will go days without wanting to play with it.

I am not holding her back, she is only 5 and I am encouraging her to play with her toys and have fun in the garden and just be a child. She uses the computer at school but isn't that fussed about it.

XH lets her play on his ipdad and that is up to him, but if I had one, she wouldn't be allowed to use it.

What is the difference between a child playing on a computer or iPad (assuming age appropriate content) and a DS or innotab though? I could understand much more if someone was anti everything than thinking some things are acceptable but others aren't.

maja I understand your point but a sandpit would be a continuous provision where as a computer would need to be policed somehow anyway. I suppose for me the difficulty in preventing a child from using it is exactly the thing that worries me. My daughters nursery has it in a separate room and they are taken in small groups to use it so in that case it would be easy to police and easy to prevent a child from using should the parent wish. I work with children with communication problems and these children are often drawn to computers as it is doesn't require verbal skills. I know of several children who have been aloud to spend all day on them. I'm not saying this is the case I'm just explaining my stance on the subject.

In many nurseries, the computer is available as continuous provision. The only policing is in taking turns, which older children can often manage themselves with sand timers.

the innotab or Nintendo has only games on it, that are for her specific age group and she only has limited time on there. Some weeks she barely touches them. the computer has internet access, her toys dont. she occasionally goes on the Moshi Monster website if I am with her.

If she was allowed on the computer, then she would want to be on it all of the time and I don't want that because A, I am often using it myself for work and B, I don't want her staring at a screen for hours, which is why time on her electronic toys is limited. Ipads and computers are not toys, that is the difference.

maja I suppose that's my point.
When there is reccommendations of 30 mins a week of screen time for a 2 year old how can a continuous provision of screens be okay. I don't understand why ofsted push for it.

www.healthykidshealthyfuture.org/home/activities/screentimes.html

30 minutes of screen time isn't an official recommendation, is it?

My iPad has games on it that are suitable for my DS's age group. His time on it is limited.

I don't see how that can be any different to an innotab except the screen is less shit, and the selection of games is better. We also have other apps like Solarwalk which are massively educational and the innotab doesn't do. The iPad also works as a camera, but perhaps you could fork out for a vtech children's camera, just so you can think of it as a toy?

Apologies if I'm repeating what anyone else had said, I'm bfing a very sucky 2 week old and don't have time to read the whole thread and catchafox I totally understand where you're coming from and felt the same way when I realised that my 2.5 year old was playing on the computer at nursery. I am not a Luddite, but like you I felt it was not something I was very comfortable with.

I just told the room leader that I wasn't happy with him spending too much time on it and that we limited screen time at home and she was fine with that.

I've not seen him play with it since - I'm sure he does, but not at the expense of what I consider to be "proper" play.

ofsted don't insist that the computer is available all the time
we have just had an inspection and certainly didn't have the computer on the whole time
we were outside for most of the inspection anyway
we limit our computer, only 2 children are allowed to sit at it- one using it and one waiting
and we turn it off if it causes any aggro with sharing or turntaking
I have one child who is obsessed with it and we don't even turn it on the days that he is in

One specific concern I would have with a small child spending a lot of time on an Ipad or similar (and forgive me if someone else has mentioned this) would be possible impact on their eyesight.

I know that it is considered 'unproven' that spending large amounts of time reading / engaging in close work causes myopia, but IMO the evidence is pretty strong, and I believe there is at the least a correlation.

Obviously 2 y/os can't read (well, maybe the odd one!), so introducing touchscreen devices means that they are engaging in close work at a much earlier age. I'd be unkeen for my child to be using them for long periods just for this reason. I don't see a desperate need for them to use a computer (as pointed out up thread, those of us born in the 60s/70s don't struggle despite lack of early exposure), so why take the risk.

Mountain/molehill.

Aimee, that 30 minutes of screen time per week is in childcare, with 1-2 hours per day at home. I doubt the OP's child is being allowed half an hour. There'd be a queue for a start.

I'm not suggesting he gets 30 mins just pointing out the issue with IT and nurseries in general. 30mins is not an offical recommendation (as far as i am aware tgere isnt one in the UK) but lots of evidence to say that it's not good for young children.
From the bbc-
'Developmental psychopathology expert Prof Lynne Murray, of the University of Reading, said: "There is a well-established literature showing the adverse effects of screen experience on the cognitive development of children under three, and the US Paediatric Association for example has recommended no screen time before this age.'

If you read the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation (there doesn't appear to be a US Paediatric Association so this is who I guess she means) it doesn't refer to computer use at all. It solely recommended no TV, DVDs or background television in that age group, it doesn't mention interactive media, it's all about passive viewing.

pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2011/10/12/peds.2011-1753.full.pdf