Am I being a boot for even considering asking my childminder..

[Moomin]

..to stop letting the kids watch Bratz after school?
I'm totally happy with her as a CM, she's had dd1 since she was 1 and she's now 5 and so she goes to her before and after school now. But the CM's daughter and another mindee are 7 and I guess they dictate what everyone watches after school. I'm fine with a bit of TV for them all; I know the CM only has this on for 1 hour of the day and she also deals with dd2 and another lad who are both 18m as well as the after-school crew at this time of day.

But I HATE Bratz with a passion and dd1 wouldn't be watching them at home. Dh thinks I might be overreacting a tad, as it's only 2 nights a week and we need to let her see what's out there and not pretend these things don't exist. I think it just shocked me to hear dd1 telling me about the characters in a really awed fashion! Shall I just leave it?

Honestly, I don't think you can protect them from everything. I'd rather my DD didn't watch all those SH'TE american kids sitcom things, but I can't pretend they don't exist.

Until she grows out of it, I will have to put up with those monsters from the Suite LIfe of Zac and Cody.

Plus, it might mean either taking the programme away from the other two children, or having your DD removed from the room when it's on, which isn't fair on her.

ahh, we have both in this house!...not for mindees tho!
dd loved the forever diamondz bratz a while back and we sky plus'd it and suite life is dd's fave cos sharpey form HSM is in it.......she doesnt watch them all day every day, she doesnt wtch t.v too much and shes very bright and well adjusted LO.i dont think it does any harm in moderation..on the other hand my friends dd's love the simpsons and shes fuming as they reg show 'snake' brandishing a gun and shooting.that kind of thing is a no no

hm I guess it all depend on what you yourself find offensive or not suitable for your kids. I hate Bratz and Barbie for the way they represent girls as airhead sex objects and in the case of Bratz, for the cliqueyness portrayed: if you don't look a certain way you don't fit in.

But there again, I let dd1 watch the Simpsons because imo it's very clever and funny ( and I always think of the episode where Lisa challenges the way Malibu Stacey portrays little girls!)

I'd leave it if its only a couple of times a week. If you ban anything I think it only makes it more attractive.

No I would definitely ask her

if there are activities that you consider unsuitable for your children (especially things like tv programmes you don't think are appropriate for them) then you should certainly mention it

could you perhaps send a DVD that all the mindees would enjoy watching? You could suggest this to the childminder?

I don't think this is about being over protective, or over controlling, it's about the messages that are coming across to your children via this programme

She actually asked me why I have such a downer on Bratz this morning; she thinks I'm very rude saying that I don't particularly like them! I told her I thought they all looked the same (as in the same shape and all wearing makeup) and it might make other girls feel left out if they didn't look the same as the Bratz. I also said they shouldn't be wearing their makeup outside the house (dd1 puts it on to play in sometimes but knows she has to wipe it off for going out) and they show too much tummy!

Our CM is very good and very supportive about my views on other stuff, e.g. at Easter she buys her mindees some sweets/choc and for the 1st 3 years when she knew dd didn't have sweets she bought her smellies or ornaments. So I'm sure she wouldn't have any problem with me saying something - just don't know if I'm being a bit OTT.

I have changed childminders before for after school care when my older boys were regularly faced with a choice of Tellytubbies or Balamory. Not cool for 8 and 9yo boys.

I think that the Bratz watcher should have to take it in turns with all the other tv watching kids. I don't think that the descision should lie with you as there are other peoples kids there too.

You could always ask the cm to do some craft or help her with her homework at Bratz time.

I wiould just insist bluntly that my child not watch that programme, because I don't like it and it's my preference. If she refused I'd make other arrangements.

Bratz isn't suitable for anyone. Horrible ugly aggressive sexualised stupid-looking slappers. Yuck.

I don't think you can bluntly insist that your childcarer does certain things, unless you have LOTS of time to shop around for different childcare

I do think that you can negotiate and request that things be done in a way that suits your personal beliefs about what is right for your child. This includes asking that they not watch programmes which give messages contrary to your own moral code.

btw the 'she' in my last post was dd1 not the CM! I'm sure if I said something the CM would be fine with it. She's often raised her eyebrows when she tells me what other kids have in their lunchbox for instance and I get the feeling we 'sing from the same hymnsheet'. Think maybe she's always busy with the babies at this time and isn't in the same room as the older girls.