before school activities

[ziggy]

I have 2 brothers arrive about 8.10, it can be 8.30 before mum leaves. Baby arrives about the same time.
At 8.45 we go out to put eldest child on school bus.

I always have box of toys set up in playroom but they quite often ask to watch a dvd, this keeps them calm.

Mum returns about 5ish, so at 4.30 we all tidy up and then if there is time i put dvd on again.

This morning mum commented that she thought they watch dvd's too much. I explained it was less than 30mins in morning and just for last 10mins (if that ) in afternoon. She said she would prefer me to read a book but that isnt always possible if baby arrives at same time.

Think i may take tv out of playroom (its only used to play dvd's)

Just wondering what other minders do with schoolies when only there for short time in mornings.

[clairer]

I don't think 40 mins of tv is excessive at all.

I don't have the tv on in the morning it's just toys and colourings. Maybe try that, keep mum happy! We sometimes have the tv on for the last half an hour if the kids need to calm down at the end of a long day and sometimes we have "film" night and watch a film with popcorn

[ziggy]

going to take tv out of playroom for rest of the week and see how we get on.

[kellyskidz!]

I don't get people who have such a problem with TV! We all have one and in the right way it can be very educational!
My daughter learnt to count to ten from cBeebies, a fact I'm certainly not ashamed of as she was one year old when she learnt to count and is very intelligent still, despite her watching TV every day!
Having said that though if Mum is concerned then I'd maybe switch it off when shes dropping off and have some jigsaws out or something, for an easy life!xx

[cathtee]

My tv is on in the morning we have daybreak on, los arrive 7.45 and 8.00 they have colouring out or play with the dolls we tidy up at 8.20 to go out at 8.25.

[loocyloo]

mine either read books in the morning, or play in the playroom with whatever is out!

we're currently in the habit of watching a dvd after tidying up after tea ... usually less than 10 minutes before all children have gone home. we used to sit an dread, but as I have a couple of schoolies who only sit & read, i'm trying to ring the changes! sometimes we play board games in teams, but no one can agree on what games at the moment!

we watch a dvd before school on a Friday ... don't know why .. just seems to be what happens now!

[AliceK]

When I had schoolies arriving at 8am they needed breakfast and then we leave at 8.30 so any spare time was free play. I also have a schoolie AS, we get in about 3.45 and she goes at 4.15, again it's drink and free play. I don't have any time between 8am and 8.30 or 3.45 - 4.15 when we sit down to tea to do any kind of supervised activity so reading a book wouldn't be an option. Mind you I don't have a TV in the playroom and it's only very occasionally mindees are allowed in my lounge. Between finishing tea and going home there is between 30 / 45mins. That's used for tidy up time and then quiet play with only limited resources allowed out. I sound mean but at 6pm after working 10 hours I'm knackered and then have to start on my hoovering / mopping / feeding animals / homework with own kids / bath time etc and I'm certainly not starting to put all the toys away again. It works for me

xxx

[FloraDora]

I wouldn't dream of putting the TV on. I expect I will create some critiscm .... But I think young children watch too much TV in some households.

I am paid to offer childcare, not for children to sit in front of a tv 'an electronic' childcare and thats what I am sure some parents think. There are lots and lots of other activities that children can enjoy. Construction activities usually go down well with lads... They don't have a cut off point either as models can be left to finish after school.

I agree with mum that if you need to tidy away earlier than the children leave, a story would be great ... A long one that takes several sittings to finish ...the children will look forward to the next installment. Much more beneficial.

A couple of articles that back up this thought:

How TV Affects Your Child

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/s...rens-wellbeing

[TNT]

My mindees arrive at 8 and we have to be out of the house by 8.30 so by the time they have coats and shoes off, had a catch up with everyone, had a bit of free play then it is time to put coats and shoes back on again, toilet and out. No time for tv.
I occasionally put the tv on after tidying away, most of my mindees are picked up at 5.15 so after tea we tidy and then we either read, sing or I put 10 minutes of tv on.

[ziggy]

I wouldn't dream of putting the TV on. I expect I will create some critiscm .... But I think young children watch too much TV in some households.

I am paid to offer childcare, not for children to sit in front of a tv 'an electronic' childcare and thats what I am sure some parents think. There are lots and lots of other activities that children can enjoy. Construction activities usually go down well with lads... They don't have a cut off point either as models can be left to finish after school.

I agree with mum that if you need to tidy away earlier than the children leave, a story would be great ... A long one that takes several sittings to finish ...the children will look forward to the next installment. Much more beneficial.

A couple of articles that back up this thought:

How TV Affects Your Child

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/s...rens-wellbeing

I understand your point of view but if baby arrives at same time we dont have time to do any activities. Rule is that they have to take shoes off as they come in back door, so by the time mum leaves it is time to put baby's coat on, put in buggy, then shoes n coats on older children.

After tidy up time we do quite often have a story but again if baby needs feeding or changing, ready for his 5pm pick up time I cant always read to others.

Personally i dont think 10mins (max) of a dvd at end of the day will have any lasting damage but guess we all have different views

This afternoon we had dressing up box out, then mummy came early so i was left to tidy it all away.

Have told mummy as from tomorrow we will tidy up by 4.30, have coats and shoes on (so she doesnt have to take baby out of car) then we will sit at kitchen table with puzzles, books etc

[ziggy]

Oh and just to add the dvd's arent movies, they are singing/dancing dvd's. The favourite at the moment is The Wiggles, which drives me insane but they love it

[yummyripples]

I only have one schoolie and because of the time issues she has to entertain herself with the resources available.

[jackie 7]

Why is mum hanging around for 20 minutes. You can't do anything with them as she is there.

[bunyip]

Why is mum hanging around for 20 minutes. You can't do anything with them as she is there.

Exactly.

Try this one: "Well, Mum, if you'd s0d0ff and leave us to it, we might have chance to read a story instead."

[kellib]

The tv is on in my house before and after school for my own son, he has enough disruption in his life with mindees etc that I think some tv is the least he deserves!

All parents are aware of this and not one has a problem with it, in the morning the mindees aren't interested in the tv, they just want to play but come afternoon time they are ready for a rest in front of tv too, especially if they've just walked an hour to and from school!

[karen m]

Am with Flora Dora , in 6.5 years of minding I can honestly say tv has been on twice once for a older mindee (11) during the holiday she brought a DVD and once when a mum asked could 5 year old watch tv before school , I put it on for 5 minutes and suddenly no one could speak to each other so off it went . I tell all parents I do not have tv on in my home if children need to watch tv let them when they get home. As for it teaching children is that not what we are paid for

[JCrakers]

All my children arrive at 8am ranging from 14m-9yrs and the older ones do watch the TV every morning from 8am-8.30am. In fact they are so 'at home' they arrive and turn it on themselves. They have been coming here for 6yrs now. Its early and I don't have the time to do stories, craft, etc with 3 mindees under 5 and 4-5 over 5 and 8. Its half an hour and honestly if I let them into the playroom something gets broken, they fight, argue and want to run around and at 8am I really cant be doing with that.

So while 4-5 are in the lounge Im in the playroom with the under 5's and kitchen sorting lunchboxes and my own two children.

If parents were to say something to me then I would just give notice and not do schoolies anymore....simple. I don't enjoy it anyway so if I have to be on the go for a whole 10hrs I would be exhausted. Half an hrs TV is fine for us

Bah

[ziggy]

Am with Flora Dora , in 6.5 years of minding I can honestly say tv has been on twice once for a older mindee (11) during the holiday she brought a DVD and once when a mum asked could 5 year old watch tv before school , I put it on for 5 minutes and suddenly no one could speak to each other so off it went . I tell all parents I do not have tv on in my home if children need to watch tv let them when they get home. As for it teaching children is that not what we are paid for

Sorry i totally disagree with your final statement/question!!! I am not paid to teach, I am a NNEB nursery nurse not a teacher. I accept children learn through play and activities i organise and places we visit. I am paid to care for them in a safe environment. While in my care they have my undivided attention, living alone i never do house work or cook meals whilst working. BUT i do have up to 6 children here at times including 2 babies. Having 4 children aged 3-5 jumping about in playroom while i'm trying to feed baby and get ready to leave for school is never a good start to the day, so really dont see a problem in 10mins of a singing dvd on.

having said that i have taken mum's wishes on board and we havent had dvd on since she mentioned it.

[ziggy]

All my children arrive at 8am ranging from 14m-9yrs and the older ones do watch the TV every morning from 8am-8.30am. In fact they are so 'at home' they arrive and turn it on themselves. They have been coming here for 6yrs now. Its early and I don't have the time to do stories, craft, etc with 3 mindees under 5 and 4-5 over 5 and 8. Its half an hour and honestly if I let them into the playroom something gets broken, they fight, argue and want to run around and at 8am I really cant be doing with that.

So while 4-5 are in the lounge Im in the playroom with the under 5's and kitchen sorting lunchboxes and my own two children.

If parents were to say something to me then I would just give notice and not do schoolies anymore....simple. I don't enjoy it anyway so if I have to be on the go for a whole 10hrs I would be exhausted. Half an hrs TV is fine for us

Bah

So agree with this post, thank you, glad to know I'm not the only childminder who has same sort of dilemma in a morning.

[ziggy]

Why is mum hanging around for 20 minutes. You can't do anything with them as she is there.

yes i can see this isnt ideal. Going to take them into playrooom in future and say 'see you later mummy'