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Nurseries

Find nursery advice from other Mumsnetters on our Nursery forum. For more guidance on early years development, sign up for Mumsnet Ages & Stages emails.

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Original poster

AIBU to expect that my child doesn't watch tele at nursery?

47 replies

Ralph871 · 08/10/2021 18:07

My almost 3 year old has been attending the same nursery since we moved back to the UK from Australia last year. I'm happy with the nursery and he really likes it there, his wee brother who is 18 months started going a few months ago and I've had no complaints however tonight when I picked him up he was sat with 5 other kids watching cartoons on a large computer monitor, this is the third night in as many weeks that this has been the case.

He watches Tele at home of course although we do try to be on the stricter side but regardless of that Am I being unreasonable to expect that he doesn't watch tele at nursery?

I'm currently paying £1200 per month for them both to attend three days each as I work full time nightshift, kind of pisses me off to pay over a third of my salary to childcare and then find him sat watching tele.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Weegiewtf · 12/10/2021 19:51

This annoys me OP. The kids watch YouTube at my sons nursery. Granted it’s things like cosmic yoga but still I’d rather they played than watched tv

Tiddlywinkly · 12/10/2021 19:58

It's a big 'nope' from me. It's lazy. My kids went to Bright Horizons. No T.Vs.

ImFree2doasiwant · 12/10/2021 20:02

It's pretty common at primary schools too, for the last 10 minutes. Unless they're watching Squid Game I wouldn't be bothered.

lemmein · 12/10/2021 20:21

I'd hate to be a kid today - why do they need to be constantly learning? Don't most of us just want to chill and watch mindless crap at the end of a long day? Leave them be.

Just10moreminutesplease · 12/10/2021 20:29

I wouldn’t want to pay for my child to watch TV. If there’s not enough staff to watch them and clear up/ do handovers then it sounds like they need more staff.

AmanitaRubescens · 12/10/2021 20:52

I wouldn’t want to pay for my child to watch TV.

You're not. You're paying for trained staff to take care of your child whilst you earn money. They will do a variety of things in nursery - probably far more than if they were home 24/7. Bit of telly will do them no harm.

If there’s not enough staff to watch them and clear up/ do handovers then it sounds like they need more staff

Very likely but they probably can't afford them despite them being on NMW.

MindyStClaire · 12/10/2021 20:58

@lemmein

I'd hate to be a kid today - why do they need to be constantly learning? Don't most of us just want to chill and watch mindless crap at the end of a long day? Leave them be.

For me it comes in the same category as grandparents stuffing the kids with sweets (hypothetically). I have no problem with a bit of TV or a few sweets, everything in moderation. But if the grandparents give sweets everyday then I don't get the chance to give a nice treat either as it would be too much so I get stuck with nagging over veg.

Similarly with TV, nursery aged kids are very young and I don't want mine watching a lot of TV just yet. We use it get strategically - none midweek as we'd never get them out the door in the morning, and in the evening we realised it doesn't allow them to unwind properly before bedtime (I wouldn't mind a bit if it worked for them). At the weekends they get a fair bit - over breakfast so we can take our time over a coffee, when we get in from a walk and they need a bit of a rest, while we're making dinner etc.

If nursery use TV then that means they're eating into the screen time I'm comfortable with, and so not just are they using lazy methods and handing me a hyped up preschooler but they're making things more difficult for me at home.

SnackSizeRaisin · 18/10/2021 13:42

I wouldn't like it either. Children should be able to play quietly or look at a book, they shouldn't need to be babysat with a screen. Occasionally if they are short staffed or as a treat at the end of term I think is fine - but not on a daily basis.

babbi · 20/10/2021 17:41

@lemmein

I'd hate to be a kid today - why do they need to be constantly learning? Don't most of us just want to chill and watch mindless crap at the end of a long day? Leave them be.

@lemmein agree entirely .

Mumoblue · 20/10/2021 17:46

No judgement, but were you late?
I used to work in a place that would do this if parents were late, as we had a certain number of jobs we had to do before going home, and we didn’t want to stay long after the parents turned up.

If not, then 3 times a week is a bit much. I don’t think telly is a bad thing, but it shouldn’t become a crutch at nursery.

Fibbib · 23/10/2021 22:22

The nursery I work at we put tv on for the last 10 mins of the day. If there are 2 staff with 8 children and they are all waiting for their mums its hard for
1 person to keep 7 on the carpet whilst other member is talking to a parent. We find peppa pig keeps them happy whilst they have to wait. The staff are also trying to tidy the room. I have never known a nursery where staff have time to tidy up after the children have gone. Have you ever tried to tidy a room with 8 toddlers getting everything back out.

Thefaceofboe · 11/11/2021 12:03

We put cartoons on the iPad since covid so we can keep up with the ridiculous amount of cleaning which is expected of us, while also looking after the children. If not, we would have to stay behind at the end of the session to get it done.

Antsgomarching · 11/11/2021 12:32

Depends, my 2yr old DD does half days and they don’t use the TV, never seen a tv screen at the nursery but it’s a montessori so I exoect tv is not within the ethos. BUT if they are there for a full day then a little bit at pick up to keep them calm probably helps, its a long day sometimes and letting then unwind while waiting for pick up probably isn’t that bad but tbh I wouldn’t like it

I bung the tv on while I’m getting dinner ready so I need her tv quota for me to use lol

Psychgrad · 12/11/2021 22:54

I’ve worked in nurseries as a temp and this is really common. The staff don’t want to have to clean all of the toys up after final pick up times so they get them to watch tv while they tidy up. I don’t agree with it but most practictioners work from 7am and nurseries can stay open until 6 or 7pm, can we really expect them to stay until 8 to clean up? I’d advise picking children up as early as possible to avoid the last boring couple of hours of nursery.

Ionlydomassiveones · 12/11/2021 22:59

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn at the poster's request.

WTF475878237NC · 12/11/2021 23:23

There should be enough staff to provide childcare and do cleaning, not use the TV as childcare.

Psychgrad · 12/11/2021 23:40

Unfortunately nurseries are commonly understaffed - this is why they hired agency workers like me but we would be left holding crying babies while the permanent staff talked to parents or finished admin work. As I said, I don’t like nurseries and wouldn’t send my children to one.

georgarina · 13/11/2021 08:24

I wouldn't be happy at all with this.

There are other ways to wind down/organise than gluing them to the TV.

At my nursery they sing songs until everyone is picked up.

No TV on the premises.

I would bring this up with them.

LethargicActress · 13/11/2021 08:33

I don’t think it’s a problem as long as it’s not in the middle of the day, and it is just used to occupy the children while staff are cleaning up and doing hangovers to parents. They can’t be doing that and engaging the children in exciting activities that can be abandoned as soon as their parents turn up at the same time as all the other end of day stuff.

Childcare is ridiculously expensive, but I think if you look,a t whet you were paying for what you actually receive, it’s not that bad at all and you’re probably expecting too much.

Bimblybomeyelash · 13/11/2021 08:38

I think that pick up can be quite a stressful and emotional time for the little ones. Lots of parents, that aren’t theirs, coming and going. And they are probably exhausted after a day of activities. I can well imagine that a spot of mindless tv is the best way to manage this time. Some of them are probably ready for a snooze, but I’d be far more fed up with my
Child having a too late nap than chilling out in front of the tv for a bit!

sarahc336 · 13/11/2021 11:24

Ours watch tv from 5pm onwards at nursery, I really don't have a problem with this tbh. The kids by this point are shattered as the staff probably are too, let them un wind a bit xx

coffeepleeease · 13/11/2021 13:52

Wouldn't bother me as long as it wasn't for too long each day. My daughter is in reception and at the end of the day they watch one episode of either Numberblocks, Alphablocks, Octonauts or Something Special. All educational so I don't mind. Wouldn't be impressed if they were watching Peppa Pig (as an example, other annoying children's programmes are available!)

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