PDA

View Full Version : Is it just me or...?



nipper
11-01-2012, 06:06 PM
I had a little one come round to see me today, with his nose stuck in a Nintendo DS practically the whole time. HE is three years old. The parent was quite happy for him to play with it. I got him to come and join in our activities just to prove to myself I could...I love a challenge me!!! (it's the teacher in me coming out)

But I mean come on, what is happening to society when a parent brings a child to a childcare setting and then allows their child to be so blatantly anti-social? I thought I am quite easy-going, liberal, tolerant but this has really
(a) annoyed
(b) confused
(c) amused me (delete as appropriate)

I think I am getting old (40 last month) and that society is a changing and my finger is most definitely not on the pulse!

sarah707
11-01-2012, 06:09 PM
I get a bit like that as well with electronic devices. I don't mind them having them but time on them is limited.

I think this lo will need some clear boundaries in place if you do take him on :D

blue bear
11-01-2012, 07:28 PM
I don't like them bringing expensive things Like DS from home , plenty to do here. Had one child bring one once, I just put it on the shelf away from little ones he never mentioned it all day. It's never come since.

mushpea
11-01-2012, 07:44 PM
prehaps she thought it would keep him busy whilst you spoke about your setting etc. I always take my sons ds or ipod when we are going somewhere where I need to talk to somone or we need him to sit quietly but then he is 11yrs with ADHD so sitting queitly dont come easy to him:laughing:
I wouldnt let a child of that age have a ds or if they did it would be limited use at home and I certainly wouldnt allow it in my setting,, I look after a 3yrold who comes in tears some days as dad took it off her in the car to come to mine , as soon as shes started playing with the others shes fine and never asks for it.

Splodge
11-01-2012, 08:07 PM
I go to a playgroup where there is a little boy aged 3 who is always taking things off other children or jumping or banging into children. Anything to upset them really. He doesn't take any notice if anybody asks him to stop and mum ignores him most of the time. On the rare occasions mum has gone over to him she doesn't ask him to give the toy back, instead she turns to the other child and tells them they will have to wait until he has finished with it.

Last week took the biscuit. Mum was on the phone to somebody, he came over sat in her lap took the phone, ended the phone call and started playing games on the phone. Everybody went quiet and looked at her and one of the mums asked why she had let him do it and her answer was because he wanted to and because he is games mad and that he has a DS at home and she can't persuade him off of that either. He even insists on taking it to bed with him and she couldn't stop him. He is three for goodness sake.

You couldn't make it up....

karen m
11-01-2012, 08:07 PM
I don't allow toys to be brought to my home i tell parents this on first visit,i have enough resourses on the occassion am ignored and there brought they are put away till home time

curly
11-01-2012, 08:11 PM
I look after a 4 yr old who's brought one since he was 3, he's on about his 3rd as he doesn't go anyway without it (even walking along the road :( ) but as soon as parents have gone he doesn't even need encouraging it's handed to me and goes away in the bag not to be seen until after he's left my door, I think they will use them if they can get away with it but he knows here he'll have more fun without it :clapping:

nipper
11-01-2012, 09:42 PM
He is three for goodness sake.



This is precisely my point. And people wonder why the teachers have a hard time trying to educate them in school.

Tealady
12-01-2012, 10:18 AM
I think people do use such devices to "babysit" their child if they have to discuss things. Perhaps it didn't occur to this mum that she was visiting somebody who was used to handling children so would be more than capable of keeping a chatty, playful 3 year old quiet with an activity and have a conversation.

However, I used to work in a pub before CM and the amount of families who would be out for a "family" meal but their children had their heads stuck in a DS or watching a movie on a hand held device. How is that quality time

When we take our two out (aged 2 & 6) we take a bit of colouring but remember that they are small so have only what we call a "Golden time" when they are well behaved and engaged before they get bored but once they start begining to muck around we leave. If we want longer time out and a chance to chat as adults we go out with out them.

EmmaReed84
12-01-2012, 10:47 AM
My son is 6 and has a DS. Before he got it he was terrible for concentrating on ANYTHING, he would never "walk" anywhere he always hopped, skipped, jumped and generally never sat still. He did even sit to watch the telly and just fidgetting all the time.

He got his DS and at first was not bothered by it but we encouraged him to sit and play some games. After a while he would sit for 15 minutes straight, not moving and concentrating. He realised that if he concentrated on something he could not do he eventually learned HOW to do it... This progressed on to Lego now he can sit for hours with Lego and an instruction book and build some amazing things (with help from DH)... He still plays his DS but he is allowed 1 hour a day and he chooses how he uses that hour, once he has an hour that is it. He generally only plays it in little bursts... but my god getting that DS and tapping in to his concentration has really help... we are still a long way off where we need to be and considering the doctors (currently ourselves and teachers or working on a few thing)

He doesn't play "ganes" like fighting or anything, he does like Mario and Mario Kart, but he also has other educational games which he loves so from that point of view the DS is a handy tool...

I think sometime parents forget that the DS is a toy NOT a babysitter

mammumof4
12-01-2012, 11:35 AM
my 6 yr old loves his ds and i consider it to be just another toy :) he plays mario karts, toy story 3 and eductional games. i do limit his time as he can get a bit frustrated with his self if he finds it hard to complete a level so he gets an hour after school and quick burts of it over the weekend, i have to say its helped his consentration so much!!!
i have to admit i have used it to stop him running around the room and showing off last week when i had a parent visit me :blush:
she ended up sitting there with him playing mario bro while i played with her baby :) they both wanted to put the wii on but we had to do school run! :)
i dont see the problem as long as its in modoration and isnt damaging social skills

mum2two
12-01-2012, 12:26 PM
I had siblings turn up yesterday with their ipods. As soon as they got in from school they grabbed them and sat playing. The problem I have (same if DS sits with his or his DS etc) is that all the rest of the mindees just sit around to lean over and watch.

I had to take the ipod away, and she kept asking for it. I said she could play it on her own in the kitchen or playroom, as the rest were playing in the living room, but she wanted to be in with everyone else, which I knew would lead to them all sitting there staring gormlessly at it.

They didn't bring them today... ;)

xx