watching tv?

[bluebell3]

hi Just wondered how many of you watch tv with your mindees and if you set a limit? - like only for an hour or only in the afternnoon or only after school pick-up. I've been really lucky so far that the kids have been so busy with toys, crafts, games, playing with each other or outside that it hasn't bothered them. BUT i would like them to watch it if they are tired or ask. I'm not anti-tv (- my own kids watch it ALL the time when its just us!) but I don't want parents turning up thinking that all I've done all day is parked them on front of the tele and I don't want kids going home and responding to the question 'what have you done today' by saying 'watched tv'
I used to work in a pre-school and if it was too wet to go out after lunch while we cleared up the tables and the floors there would be a dvd for 10-20 minutes but the parents used to be mortified!

[Fraggle1]

Hiya!

I tend to have appropriate TV on first thing in the morning cause my children want to watch it then once my mindee is in and settled it's off....then I may put it on whilst I prepare lunch and then the very last hours sometimes to chill out. This doesn't always happen it just depends what the feeling/mood is...how the children are feeling, if we've had a mega busy day outside. Between the hours of 1700-1800 it's rare I set out a new activity cause it is wind-down time....also if we are doing a 'Theme' like when we did 'Fish' I would sometimes put 'Finding Nemo' for example. I have so many pictures and proof of all the wonderful things we get up to in the day that I don't feel atall guilty for putting the TV on....alot of the programmes we watch are like 'show me show me' and 'Something special' which we can get lots of idea's from....

[Lady Haha]

Mine are all schoolies, so can regulate themselves pretty well with the tv! I dont' have set tv times as such, but yes, normally it will go on after tea while every one is winding down. Some will carry on playing in front of the telly, just glancing at it now and again, while a couple of others may actually sit down and watch.

Come to think of it, they rarely ask for the tv to go on, I just stick it on after tea anyway! And sometimes, during hols, if they are obviously getting bored and started to bicker, I will get them to sit down and watch quietly for abit!

[The Juggler]

mine is on after brekkie until school - 20 mins and again after school for 45mins tops.

I hardly have it on in the day maybe just 5 mins whilst I get the babies shoes and coats on and we watch iggle piggle or cat in the hat.

[gegele]

mine is on in the morning as my kids need it to come to life slowly LOL

and after or around diner sometimes, depending how tired are the kids. diner is at 6/6.30 and mindee leaves at 7pm. he's here 12h a day and gets really tiredafter school some days, once all little ones are gone, he crashes on sofa fell asleep more than once

[AliceK]

My own children especially DD loves to have the TV on so as this is her home I tend to have it on a lot. Not that any of them actually watch it all the time though. They usually watch a bit before breakfast / school runs. Then a bit after tea when we're waiting for parents to collect as by then I have tidied up the playroom and shut the door. If any child was sat glued to the TV all day then I would discourage it and if neccs turn it off. I think parents can see by all the pics I take during the day that it is NOT the case that their children are sat in front of the TV all day. If a parent is absolutely against their child watching any TV then my setting is not the one for them I'm afraid.

xxx

[snufflepuff]

Mine is on first thing as DS likes to watch it while he wakes up properly and has his breakfast. Once mindees are here it goes off. I have 4 children here on a Monday so I tend to put it on for 20-30 minutes after lunch and encourage the LO's to have some 'quiet time' so I can put the baby mindee to sleep and grab myself a quick cuppa. Sometimes they will ask for a DVD so i'll put one on for them.

[teacake2]

I am busy trying to settle a new child who has special needs, and he absolutely adores thomas the tank engine and when he gets upset at home he will only settle by watching some thomas time, so we are having thomas on for a while at the moment, we are down to 3 episodes from 5 now after 3 wks, he nods to me (has speech problems as one of his needs) and I know that he is then ready to play, has to be trains to start with of course, but I am gradually introducing new things to him and he is enjoying going outside a bit, only in the back yard though not out on the front.
Teacake2

[marleymoo]

my tv only gets turned on if it's tipping down outside and we have a cinema day, with popcorn, hot dogs etc. we make a real occasion of it

[buzzy bee]

I have it on for half an hour maybe once or twice a day - sometimes when they ask for it or if I feel that they need to calm down and have some quiet time.

I also use it sometimes to help a new child settle if they have a favourite show.

Sometimes it's on when mindees arrive, or when they are collected, but I think my parents see that I do loads with the kids, and don't mind the occasional bit of TV.

To me, being a childminder is all about providing an environment that is as close to home as possible, and most mums put TV on for kids at some point during the day, so we should too! It has it's purpose!

[miffy]

I don't have the tv on very often - tends to be if someone is tired or not feeling too good.

Miffy xx

[marleymoo]

oh i just can't bear the background noise and if i hear the thomas the tank engine theme tune then i just want to screeeaaaam. it's the adverts, endless adverts. as a family we only watch tv from 8pm, if other families do it differently then that's their choice but there's no way i'd have my tv on all day just coz they do at home. might explain why 2 out of 6 of my EYFS mindees have delayed speech tho

[lauren1979]

I don't have the TV on when mindees are here, my son often says 'X's Mum doesn't pay for him to come and watch TV'

I set 1 film/hour of programme/ps3 per day limits on my own children too as when we have slipped a bit in holidays etc you can see them getting more and more square eyed, I tell them too much TV mushes their brain...

[marleymoo]

I HAVE ALWAYS SAID THAT WE GET GOGGLE EYES WHEN WE WATCH THE GOGGLE BOX, ENUF TO PUT ANYBODY OFF I THINK

[marleymoo]

I don't have the tv on very often - tends to be if someone is tired or not feeling too good.

Miffy xx

I'D RATHER SEND THEM TO SLEEP WITH A BORING RADIO CHANNEL. WORKS A TREAT

[funemnx]

I don't have it on at all during term time but in the long hols we have a film on after lunch

[cupcake22]

I limit mine half an hour morning & afternoon of childrens tv.I do have the tv on at other times during the day as my husband is quite often around in the early morning & again in the late afternoon.He has on what ever he wants which is of no interest to me or the little ones i.e footie westerns & deal or no deal which i cant stand lol

Cupcake22