Childminders and TV

[Medal]

Can I ask how much TV during the day is acceptable please? I have been to some CMs and it is on all the time in the background, which is not something we have at home.

My CM doesnt have a tv, however I didnt vase my decision to use her on this. We have Peppa Pig on twice a day at home and I wouldnt begrudge her doing similar, however her charges appear to play well and entertain themselves while she is cooking etc so in her house it is unnecessary.

Ofsted don't object to TV. One of my mindees asked to watch her favourite TV programme while the Ofsted inspector was here. I am graded outstanding.

I don't have TV for minded children as I feel they watch far too much at home. When they talk about certain characters that I have never heard of and ask them about, they say "off the TV, don't you know!"

My own children didn't have television until 10 & 11 years old and it was no TV in daylight hours. They don't have TVs now in their 20's.

I would not be happy if someone I'm paying for childcare used the TV.

And no, I don't use TV at home for kids.

It's something I asked about, and one person's "hardly ever" is 2 hours a day, which is far too much for my family.

Dint worry squinker you could well be right! so I'll be relieved when she's at nursery there won't be tv if you see what I mean

Some parents would be unhappy if we refused to allow their children to watch a tv. You choose the childcare that fits in with your ideals.

There is nothing wrong with tv - it's just a resource, like any other, to be used or abused.

My parents have also asked if I can let the nursery kids just chill out with a bit of TV in the afternoons as they are getting so tired from going to nursery on the mornings.

One question if you don't have a TV how can you see things that look good then watch them on Iplayer?

sweetiepie as you drive past one of the local nurseries you can see the TV on all day. Another that has just opened, proudly showed the 2 undercover childminders their 60" screen and stated this is where the children ALL including babies spend time watching, the childminders were and not impressed!

We have a big laptop we went for a bigger one so we could watch films and documentarys our friends have abig projector like screen . That rolls up and down that's pretty cool we are thinking of getting one of those. Mindingalone that's awful I'm glad to say rd Nursery dosent have a tv it's mostly an outdoor nursery all weather's with a lovely big inside space too of course. I'd have made the decision no if they'd shown me a tv screen or write it in her daily plan.

Karoleann - once again you have misread my post - I did not say the poster was narrow minded for not wanting her child to watch tv all day - re read it also re read what I said about tv in my home - it is only on in the morning and the evening when my boys are here - not that I have to explain myself to you. And if the TV is on when my own kids are home and I happen to have my Ofsted inspection, no, I wouldn't turn it off, I have nothing to hide and run my business how I see fit. I have no shortage of business, in fact I have a long waiting list and Ofsted are not concerned with children watching TV as long as it is not excessive.

Sweetie, when your child gets to school, they will have TV on at wet play times on occasion, the same with playschemes and after school clubs. Would you not send your child on a playdate if you knew the family had TV on? If you want that level of control over tv exposure then you need to not use childcare and to home educate, which is what I meant by cocooning a child. There is no need for it. TV on moderation can be a valuable learning resource. Even if your nursery haven't talked to you about TV, they will probably have one

Reetpetite have no problem with a playmate having a tv!! Sounds like your mis reading my posts. Of course tv. Is valuable in moderation and I've said I'm glad of peppa pig. My issue is a child minder having tv on all day in background whichvis what this thread was originally about. Dds nursery does not have a tv.

ok sweetie

the thing is though op has stated that cms she has been interviewed by have had tv on the background - that means nothing and can not possibly means she knows the tv is on all day. No one has stated on this thread (either a cm or a parent) that they or any cm they know actually does have it on all day, it was all presuming from a 15 minute (at a guess!) interview

I have cds with theme tunes like bob the builder that we sing and dance to. We just don't watch it on tbe tv!

As always everything in moderation

Tv can be a godsend when for tired grumpy children and you need to make tea

Some very educational programmes on and personally I love in the night hasten and we have on after bath and before bed and time to chill

medal fab you dont mind some tv :) but in the end no you can't ask cm to turn off as she isn't your employee and you get no say in what she does

You decide If you like her methods etc and use her services

If any parent wants control then they need a nanny

Garden

Reet - apologies I did misread your post..

It is bordering on rude having the TV on though when you have a visitor. I very very much doubt you would have the TV on if OFSTED were coming round.

but in the end no you can't ask cm to turn off as she isn't your employee and you get no say in what she does
Not exactly true. As a parent using a service, they have every right to make requests that involve the care of their child.
CMs should be open to parent's requests- not just dismiss them outright.
Not heard of working in partnership?

If some parents don't want the tv - like sweetie - and they used a cm who did have the tv on at some times - but wanted it off/not watched - but the other children /parents fine with it - then the cm will still have the tv on

Yes they work in partnership but if one parent wants different then she needs to look for another cm

But like some cms go to groups - others don't and entertain at home/parks etc - some parted happy to go out every day to a structured activity / others play at home - neither is wrong - just the way the cm runs her business and offers services

The parents chose whether to accept these services that the cm offers

Karoleann, I have on occasion had mine on, when I've had parents insist on coming round for a 2nd/3rd/4th time in the evening when my boys are home, or even on a weekend morning I suppose it's personal opinion, but I don't think it's rude really. The parents are there to talk to me. This is my son's home as well as my workplace and they are not there to entertain parents of potential mindees.

And I remember my first Ofsted, I had no children at the time on role, and I did have it on while Ofsted were there. I had the news on - the Ofsted inspector made no reference to it! I have always been graded Good or Outstanding.

But as I said, during work time, I am generally out and about with the children but it does have it place and can be very useful and educational ime.

Insancerre I think all of us CM's know about working in partnership with parents. But personally I won't be dictated to by parents in my own home.
I am sensible with the TV and it has its place. My business my rules. And if parents don't like my Ethos for want of a better word they can go elsewhere.

As a childminder, there are many days that I don't turn the TV on at all - but on a day like today, when there's a storm outside, we do watch a couple of programmes probably for an hour in total.

What makes me upset is that in some cases (one case in particular) a parent told me that as soon as they get home in the evening they put the TV on for their toddler, and it's on in the morning as well so that the parents can get ready for the day. That means that a child who is with me 10 hours a day will be two hours (awake time) with her parents and out of those two hours, about 1.5 hour will be watching TV. That makes me feel uncomfortable, but each to their own.

I do enjoy cuddling up on the sofa with the children and watch a good episode of The Octonauts, then we do some colouring, read their books, look at sea creatures on the internet. TV in moderation can be a good source of creativity for children. But I would not be happy if it was in the background all day.

What does amuse me is the child, whose parent claims to be very strict about tv, yet who knows all the characters, the CBeebies schedule, what happened in the programme when it was shown earlier in the morning...

tanith

I have had that as a nanny in temp jobs. We don't let dc watch tv before 5.30/6pm so please do the same

That's fine.

Till 3/5yr starts watching say tweenies or mr bloom / art show etc and they saw what happens next - ie they saw at 7/8am before I got there

As a childminder I try to limit TV in my setting. Generally it goes on at 12 with classic FM ready for the sleep time and then when the children wake at 1:45 they watch cbeebies till 2pm. I also allow tv between 3:30-4 when I'm making tea but TBH the kids don't watch it and the older ones end up putting music on instead.

I am a childminder and the TV goes on when I am preparing dinner and goes straight off when we eat. It goes on again around collection time so I have a chance to give the parents an update in relative peace. On a wet day we occasionally have a cinema afternoon where we make a snack, close the curtains and watch a DVD together, but that is a rare treat.