acceptable tv viewing (question for Nannies/parents)

[uwila]

How many hours of telly do you let your kids watch while under nanny's care? I don't really think this applies to childminders because I think if you use a childminder then he/she to some extent sets the rules/schedule/activities etc. But if you employ a nanny than it is fair to set the schedule (or at least some guidelines) for her.

The reason I ask is because I'm convinced nanny lets DD watch quite a lot of TV. We will be getting a new nanny in Mid August and I'm thinking of writing one hour maximum tv viewing per day into the contract. Is this fair/usual? How do you monitor it? Or do you just trust nanny to do as you say?

Can we get back to telly?

And I can not pay more than I have.

Since your logic and mine are sometimes in conflict, this debate will last for eternity. (or until I get a big fat raise)

KangaMummy, unfortunately you are absolutely right.

And monkeys aren't any good at looking after kids.

Thank you

If it hadn't been boasted about how many hours work for so little pay

We would never know

Would we?

Monkeys might like watching Telly though

BUT I want to repeat my point from earlier

I think looking after children is the most IMPORTANT JOB there is.

Why don't you?

They are our future

Kanga Mummy, I would think every mum on Mumsnet would say looking after children is the most important job in the world.

But for a lot of them, paying for it to be done properly and respecting a person who chooses to do this job is another matter entirely..

WHY?

There are some very fair working mums here but some that I would never ever ever want to work for

There are lots of great nannies out there

But you will end up with monkeys, if you don't do it right or fair.

And then spend all your time moaning about them

........

OUCH!

By Uwila on Friday, 4 February, 2005 3:00:43 PM

About 55% of my income or 20% of our joint income.

I think childcare costs in this country (especially London) are outraqgeous.

This was from a thread about how much of family income is spent on childcare

........

To go back to your point about the tv, i think that most nannies can judge for themselves as to the amout of tv their charges watch. I wouldn't put it into the contract as there may be times with the new baby that having the tv on for your daughter would be a good thing. My charges generally don't have the tv on during the day unless they are ill, very tired, holidays or friday afternoon. They do however have it on at 6pm for the simpsons - not my choice something they have always watched before i started.
Re the bath i would never leave a 2 year old alone even being a few feet away. I personally never leave a child alone in the bath until they get to about 4 maybe i am an over cautious nanny.

Totally agree

Bathing toddler alone is way more serious than amount of TV watching

IMHO maybe even sackable offence

Drowning in couple of centimetres of water

Anyway bathtime is for fun

agree bath time is fun except when i get wet jeans!

wet jeans solution

well uwilla?

I think it is time for this thread to rest in peace. It's not about telly anymore, and I have gotten the answers I was seeking regarding telly. So i can not see that it serves any further useful purpose.

uwila, i just wondered out of nosiness. it was a cheeky question. you do come across as "hard line" sometimes - sorry - but i know this is what is dished out to you at your work from your posts (if i have understood correctly), so i wonder if this has coloured your views.

having said that, i think the basic issue here is that your nanny is overriding your instructions for the care of your dd and has not responded to any of your suggestions on how to ameliorate the situation (e.g. she wouldn't do a diary, but doesn't want to chat to you about it at the end of the day either). i would be unhappy with this situation as well.

as for the issue of pay/contract - well for whatever reason she has resigned and found another job - that is of course the right of anyone who is unhappy at work...

nothing further to add on the issue of tv - agree with mrswobble's suggestion.

Bossykate-
I must admit harline might be a fair assesment of my personality (perhaps partly due to being raised in Chicago). But, the truth is as you say: nanny has resigned. It also may be in part due to heated debates on here.

RTK, I imagine you may find this quote useful on some future thread as well. Perhaps you like to note it down now?

........

I guess the best thing is to ignore your posts altogether

But you contradict yourself and so I am here to help you remember

A friendly helpful mumsnetter that I am

Please remember:

LOOKING AFTER CHILDREN IS THE MOST IMPORTANT JOB IN THE WORLD.

IT IS ALSO THE BEST

.......

IIRC

I thought you were going to sack her anyway?

And then you worked out her contract was going to end

If I am remembering incorrectly I will stand corrected

I had actually decided to make her redundant, as I thought that was better for her than being sacked. But before the time came to do this, she resigned.