Do you let your own children....

[Fraggle1]

watch TV when they get in from school?

I have a mindee until 1800. When we get in from school if my own children want to watch TV to wind down and relax I'm a bit reluctant to put it on because I feel guilty having the TV on whilst I have a mindee. My childminding day if full of everything as you would expect...crafts, groups, dancing, exploring etc... so I know that I give my all etc... but I feel sorry for my own children who have worked hard all day and just want to chill out and watch CBBC or whatever...I know that my mindee's parents know their child's day is full of wonderful things but still think that when they arrive to pickup and the TV is on, is that what they think we've been doing all day ha ha ha.

Do you let your own watch TV etc...?

xx

[JCrakers]

Yes I do and I also let the schoolies watch TV as they've been working hard all day also want to relax.:D

My two kids are older now but they used to watch TV. Now they go to their rooms or out to friends.

We have TV 8-8.30am as dd is watching it and schoolies arrive.
I pick up at 3.15pm, go to the park until 4pm (if its dry) tea and then if they want to put it on after tea they are welcome to.

We may occasionally have cbeebies for the young ones especially as my 3.5yr old does a lot of walking (no car for work) and she needs a bit of quiet time but no sleep. So we have it on for 20-30 mins in the afternoon but not every day. We haven't had it on today since turning it off at 8.30am

The children are usually watching it at pick up time so I often wonder if they think its been on all day. But i know it hasn't :thumbsup:

[AliceK]

In my old house my childminding area was my lounge / diner and yes if my own children wanted to watch the TV I would have it on. However no child was allowed to just sit and watch for long periods of time including my own. Now I'm lucky enough to have a seperate playroom and my lounge is a quiet room and not usually used my mindees very much. Both my own children now have TV's in their rooms and I also have a TV in my kitchen so they can watch TV there. I will occasionally have it on just before hometime for the minded children but usually they're too busy to ask for it. The latest patent of the child I have just signed contracts for actually told me she was glad I didn't have a TV in the playroom as she said other minders she has seen have. I told her as a parent I have absolutely nothing against my own children watching TV but as a childminder I am not being paid to sit your child in front of a TV all day. It's OK for a short while if neccs but most days none of my mindees watch it.

xxx

[mandy moo]

Yes it goes on when my 2 come in from school.
My boys are 11 & 14, although they both have T.Vs in their bedroms they dont work ie no ariel to get a signal and can only play their X-Boxes on them.

My mindees parents are quite happy to have the T.V on because they know theyre is always something else going on in the dining room if their child does not wish to watch t.v., They also appreciate the fact the (mindees are all after schoolers, so not sat in front of a t.v all day) kids want to chill out when they get back here after school.

[moggy]

There's no TV at all here... for anyone (one of the best decisions we made, really, being TV free is liberating)

[loocyloo]

sometimes!

depends what is on! don't really like the current crop of programmes that seem to be on CBEEBIES when it could go on, plus my own children and schoolies are too old for (most of ;) ) CBEEBIES and i don't think much of anything else is suitable for LO to see!

usually the only time it goes on / or a dvd is after tea, once we've tidied up and are waiting for parents to collect. but usually everyone is too busy. :D

[amanda1309]

My tv is on before and after school as my dd likes t on and so do my schoolies who are in the same class as dd.

I tell all parents at initial interview that tv will be on and they are all happy

[Pipsqueak]

my kids will put telly on but tbh we are normally so busy when we come home - going to dance classes etc....

I see no reason to let them chill out or veg for a while

TV isn't used as a babysitter or crutch and I have no guilt over sticking the telly on...

[stargazer1]

Yes ours goes on after school.

If its dry we go the park. If it isnt, I see no reason why my DD and the other schoolies shouldn't be able to watch TV if they want to - they have been working hard in school all day. And the little mindees days are full of fun packed things, sometimes they also enjoy sitting down and watching a DVD or some childrens tv.

[FussyElmo]

Yes we have mickey mouse clubhouse on as I type but afterschoolie is more interested in Lego batman on the ps3 - we have done crafts and homework so now for their relax time :thumbsup:

[singingcactus]

Yes, my children watches TV. Well the young one does, the older 2 don't really bother with it at all. In fact if the kids all want it on, whether they are mine or mindees they can have it on. They never really sit and watch it, just for a little while at a time. I don't ban it, parents know that the tv is allowed on if the kids want it on. I don't stress over whether to or not, we just go with what works on any given day.

[jellybean cc]

At the moment we just have Milkshake Fridays as we call it from 7am to 8am. but i have an after school child who in the past has done the odd day here and there but starting this week he is doing 3 definite days each week so this has been quite interesting to read....do i or don't i put it on. My two are not bothered and hardly ever ask to have it on after school, they like to come home and play.

[kellib]

Yes my own son puts the tv on when he gets back from school, parents know this and no one minds (or if they do they haven't said anything!).

He has a long day at school and has to come home to toddlers taken over the house so I'm not about to tell him he can't watch tv in his own house!

[mushpea]

My two have a tv room as we have a spare room and they either watch tv in there or play the xbox , my daughter also watches i players on her laptop but again thats in her own room.
tonight we came in and the weather was awful, I had done loads with the 2yrold and the 5yrold was tired so tv went on for half hour, generally it dosent go on but thats only because no one asks for it as we are usualy busy do other things !

[watgem]

we do after school sometimes for relaxation after a busy day, and depending on the weather, after all sometimes adults like to unwind in front of the telly after work so why shouldn't the children?

[PixiePetal]

I only have pre schoolers and I know they watch quite enough at home :rolleyes: when we do have TV on they know all the kids programmes :)

when my own come home from school (when they were a bit younger) they used to go up and watch my bedroom TV :thumbsup:

Certainly as teens now, their programmes are not always appropriate for tinies and DS would prefer the Xbox in his room!

[Fraggle1]

Great to read so many different replies!

Our TV doesn't always go on it's just I feel guilty if it is lol I think I'm going to go with 'if my children want to watch TV in their own home then they can'...now it's winter we'll prob. just have some snuggle time with DVD's....in the summer it's never one because they want to play in the garden :) xx

[mrs robbie williams]

yes it is their home - mine are 18, 14 and 8 and all tired when they come in from school although ds8 normally likes to play with mindees or in the garden but ds14 likes to go on xbox or watch tv in the lounge - my dining room is my toy room and there are activities arranged in there so mindees have the choice :thumbsup:

[Helen Dempster]

I let my son and the older mindees watch TV after school, yes. Like the others have said, they've been busy all day and need to unwind/relax at home - it would be different if they were sitting in front of it all day long. I don't feel guilty at all, as even for the younger ones, I sometimes let them watch an episode of Peppa Pig or something, as we do so much other stuff and we go out every day for exercise too. I think a bit of telly is fine :)

[Jods]

yup my TV is on - and its on during the day at times -gasp- as like all things using it as a tool in moderation can not cause harm!!

My DD are out of the house every evening from 6-8,9pm to ride their horses so the only time the truely get to watch TV is after school, and thats inbetween homework etc.

[VeggieSausage]

There's no TV at all here... for anyone (one of the best decisions we made, really, being TV free is liberating)

thinking about doing this myself moggy.....:)