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Watching cartoons in the nursery

36 replies

doart3 · 05/12/2019 17:47

Today I caught my DD watching cartoons on one of the carers cellphone when I arrived at the nursery to pick her up. She is 18 months. I picked her up within the period where the nursery is active, at 17:30.

Is this normal?

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MindyStClaire · 11/12/2019 20:15

Hardly encourages that children just be plonked in front of a cartoon though.

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Thefaceofboe · 11/12/2019 19:33

Technology etc is actually part of the EYFS now and the use of iPads and using technology is encouraged to help them learn (just saying)

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MindyStClaire · 10/12/2019 21:29

Oh and my daughter doesn't need any sympathy for being in childcare (9 hours a day, very happily).

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MindyStClaire · 10/12/2019 21:24

By coping strategies I mean wind down time. Hmm In DD's nursery they give them a cuddle, sit them down with a quiet toy, read them a book etc. The way children have always wound down for the centuries TVs and smartphones didn't exist. I don't "refuse" to let them use cartoons, they just don't because it's not appropriate in a professional setting. And fwiw DD isn't typically tired at the end of the day anyway, although I'm sure some are.

The recommended screen time for under twos is zero, so I would expect that to be adhered to in any professional childcare setting and I think most parents would think the same.

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Thefaceofboe · 10/12/2019 21:20

Does 2 mornings ** not doesn’t

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Thefaceofboe · 10/12/2019 21:19

Completely agree @missyB1. If the child doesn’t 2 mornings a week then no I suppose I wouldn’t be happy with them watching cartoons but after a 10 hour day (5 days a week!!) I don’t see a problem with watching cartoons for 15 minutes. Poor loves.

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missyB1 · 10/12/2019 19:26

MindyStClaire You send your child to nursery 5 days a week and refuse to let her have any wind down time there? You want her to learn "coping strategies" for when shes tired? Can I tell you the kids I look after who are in 5 days a week get absolutely exhausted and they don't have coping strategies because they are toddlers. And yes at the very end of the day when they have had enough we put the screen on for 10 minutes whilst parents are picking up. It helps distract them from the fact that their mum hasn't arrived yet.

Next time you get home from work and kick off your shoes and watch a bit of TV, have a word with yourself get back up off that settee, and learn some other coping strategies instead!

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MindyStClaire · 10/12/2019 00:59

Absolutely I would, at nursery. Not at home with us, and not at all if someone was doing us a favour and watching her. But every day at nursery that we payb for? I wouldn't be ok with that at all. She's there five days a week and I want her to learn other coping strategies for when she's tired or grumpy than watching a screen. I was actually discussing this with some friends recently, one of their friends had mentioned their nursery doing this, and we all agreed it'd be a deal-breaker for us.

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BackforGood · 09/12/2019 23:41

Seriously MindyStClaire ?
You'd have an issue with a child watching TV or cartoons for 15mins out of a 10 hour day ?? Confused

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MindyStClaire · 09/12/2019 12:49

My DD is in nursery full time and I'd be very unimpressed if they were showing her cartoons. I just can't imagine it ever happening. The most they do is look at the photos taken of the children on the iPad, go through naming them etc.

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Bluebutterfly90 · 09/12/2019 12:45

I see others have said it, but its not uncommon for nursery workers to put cartoons on if they are about to close and need to clean up.
Also, I know you said it's not a phone, but some nurseries have their own nursery mobiles for taking pictures and updating learning journeys.

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OrangeZog · 09/12/2019 12:41

I would be quite happy for my children to be watching something at that time to help them wind down. Now we’ve established it wasn’t a phone, I don’t see the issue with the situation you’ve described.

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Thefaceofboe · 09/12/2019 11:45

We put cartoons on YouTube for the children if we have a few left at the end of the day while we tidy up and get them sorted for home time. I can’t imagine why anyone would have a problem with this

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BackforGood · 08/12/2019 21:17

I very much doubt the Nursery Manager "was shocked".

It really isn't unreasonable to let the dc watch a cartoon at the end of the day. Some dc will have been at Nursery 10 hours by then.

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Wildorchidz · 08/12/2019 20:29

What is the harm in her watching a cartoon while she waits for you?

None if parents are told this is what will happen. The fact that the manager had left by 5.30 and was also shocked at the child watching cartoons would imply that cartoon watching is not an activity that the nursery management deem suitable.

And glad it was an iPod and not a phone Op!

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FlamingoAndJohn · 08/12/2019 19:52

At 5.30 your child will have been tired. What is the harm in her watching a cartoon while she waits for you?

And there is an almighty difference between a nursery iPod and her personal phone.

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missyB1 · 08/12/2019 19:35

What time does the nursery close? We often put something on the whiteboard for the toddlers to watch at the end of the day when they are very tired and need some wind down time.

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doart3 · 08/12/2019 19:30

Hello,

It was my mistake to say it was a phone. It was not a phone, it was an iPod, I did not know that.

Although, apparently, the fact that she was watching cartoons at 5:30 also shocked the manager, that left me a bit more comfortable. I am sure it will not happen again.

About her being treated differently, I was assured it wouldn't happen, it is always hard to tell if that would happen, but I guess I have to give in a bit and trust what I am told.

Let's see.

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BackforGood · 08/12/2019 17:57

@doart3 Have you found out what the situation was ? Was it her own mobile phone, or was it the Nursery Tablet / iPad ?

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Fandabydosey · 08/12/2019 15:55

Having a mobile phone in a setting where children that young are sends chills down my spine. 😳🤯😱 I don't know any settings that allows personal phones where children are.

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Tumbleweed101 · 07/12/2019 22:36

Complaining should not affect the care your child gets however and if you want clarification from the manager then you should definitely ask for it.

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Tumbleweed101 · 07/12/2019 22:34

Are you sure it belonged to a staff member and isn't one for room use? Many places have them for photos for learning journeys.

As for cartoons - at that time of night many children have been there for a long time and need a chance to chill out and calm down ready to go home, this may be one of the ways they use with some children. The children will have been busy all day and may have just eaten and getting sleepy.

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FlamingoAndJohn · 06/12/2019 22:28

Are you sure it was a mobile?
I know some places use iPods to record stuff for learning journeys. Not ok if it was her own mobile.

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BackforGood · 06/12/2019 22:26

I wouldn't be upset about the last few children watching cartoons at the end of a long day.
I would be very concerned about a member of staff having her phone on her in the room (if it was, and wasn't the iPad / Tablet they use for Tapestry / to take photos of the dc

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thanksamillion · 06/12/2019 22:14

They should have a policy on mobile phone use and the policies should be available to parents. But no, they shouldn't be doing this.

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