How much TV?

[Nature'sKids!]

How much, if any do you watch with your mindees? What about computer games / games consoles?

I am planning to incorporate the pc to a certain extent with preschool learning programs etc. (also ds1 is homeschooled so needs to use it regularly)

Tv I'm not too sure about. I hate the damn thing lol
Even to the extent of wanting toget rid of it...

Anyway, just wondered whatyoudo and what parents think?

[Velleity]

I let my daughter and two year old mindee watch Dora the Explorer while they were eating their breakfast this morning. Then the baby arrived and we turned it off and they did Jigsaw Puzzles instead. We're going out soon to collect some leaves for a nature picture we are going to make.

[loocyloo]

some days we don't watch any, other days it might go on for a little bit whilst i prepare lunch, or for a quiet time afterlunch depending on which children are here and what everyone is doing!

i like to watch something special, and currently we like 'showme showme'. or i might put a dvd on. sometimes we watch a nursery rhyme/music dvd and sing & dance along to it!

my before schoolers wanted to watch horrible histories this morning and so we did! ( i don't have any LO before school )

i don't have any afterschoolies at the moment, but we used to have tea, tidy up & then watch scoobydoo until collection ! ( usually on about 15 minutes! )

i have a wii, but it is only used VERY occasionally in the holidays by the older mindees.

i spent about 20 minutes with a LO yesterday, choosing pictures from google images to go on her 'timetable' as she gets very upset at drop off, and asks constantly when mummy is picking her up, so we have printed off loads of pictures to put on a 'timetable'. occaisonally we look at cbeebies website together, or sing up - we love singing along ( and its great for helping me to remember tunes/words! ) DD likes playing phonics play and depending on who/if i had afterschoolies, then they might sometimes use PC, same with DS. sometimes they ask a question and if i don't know the answer we look it up! but equally, weeks can pass without a mindee going near the pc!

[AliceK]

I don't really have any hard and fast rules regarding the TV but if any child was to be glued to the TV then I would have to rethink. They all have their favourites and at certain times of the day I'm happy if they want to go and chill out for a while and watch some tele in the lounge but on the whole they don't bother too much they would rather be in the playroom playing. Most of my parents are happy to trust my judgement on how much TV their child watches. I think there is a time and place for it and as long as it's not excessive then personally I don't have a problem with it.

xxx

[Helen79]

I don't have it on much. Maybe once a week but mindee's are only here between 9-3 and are toddlers so aren't really interested in watching it.

ds watches it when mindee's are having their afternoon nap and I'm tidying up and doing the dishes.

[rickysmiths]

I don't really have any rules set in stone. I have a 15mth, 18mth and a 2yr old at the moment and a 4yr old in the afternoons as he goes into school. I can't remember when we last had the TV on! Sometimes with older ones 2-4s I used to put it on for 15-30mins before lunch while I got everything ready.

I have put DVDs on for older ones in the past depending on what we are doing but often on cold wet days in the winter when all we want to do is snuggle on the sofa in the warm! I would never show anything other than a U rated movie unless I checked with the parents first.

I don't do the computer at all, my dh assiatant will sometimes use it with the children if he is at home but thats not often, more of a treat. Some things the parents have to do!

Until a year ago when my 16yr old son got a X-Box for his birthday we didn't have anything like that in the house anyway. It belongs to my son and the mindees would not ever be allowed to use it. Again something for home!

[kel1983]

The only rule I really have is that its only ever on for half hour and thats usually after lunch while the little ones are sleeping.

[Bitsy Beans]

I only have after schoolies so the nearly 9 year old tends to ask if she can watch a film, the others then either watch or carrying on playing. When I have them during the holidays and before they went to school it is not on all day but I do let them choose something if they wish.
I also put the PC on during holidays so they can play games on Cbeebies and they all like the Wii

[jumping j]

I don't have any rules regarding the TV, I do put it on while I prepare lunch and some times for 10 mins after lunch to give the children time to digest before they start running around again.
I do have one child who will only fall asleep if toy story is on, He's asleep within 5 mins of it being put on, I know the first 5mins word for word now!!!
And another who loves horses and requests horsey films to be on constantly, I try and distract him as much as possible!!!

[rosebud]

No rules as such but tend to not use it at all during the day with pre-schoolers cos we're too busy. (although do like to watch neighbours if they're asleep!!) At the moment its on for about 20 minutes after school because I have 2 that come in tired and grotty. They chill out in front of the TV for 20 minutes then have a snack and drink and come back to life.

[AgentTink]

I have my DD whi is 26 months, and she is TV addict and i look after a 18 month and a 15 month. Neither of my mindees are interested in the TV at all.

I have Disney Junior on every morning until about 845, while im sorting breakfasts and waiting for everyone to come. I then put on background music which is one of the nursery rhytme CD's.

There is no time in the morning to watch TV due to activities and my own daughter loves being involved so she doesnt ask for TV.

Then when everyone is eating dinner Disney Junior is on for 30 minutes or so.

Luckily all the children have 1 and half to 2 hours sleep in the afternoon from 1 o'clock. Rest of the afternoon is spent outside.

DD will then normally ask for TV on once I am getting everyone ready to be picked up, around 430.

So all in all the TV is on for about 1 hour whilst mindees in the home. I do have a Television policy that does state that the TV will be on during eriods in my home such as drop off, lunch and pick up. And that if the children really wanted to watch a movie or a certain programme then i would allow it if we were not doing anything else.

[uf353432]

rarely if ever, I never offer it - and its rare for anyone to ask for it to go on - if they do I normally agree and the moment the tv is playing to an empty room it goes off again. Computer gets used more regularly by both day time and after school kids as does my eepad again by all age ranges. I'm quite big into getting kids into ICT and think its valuable learning in balance with everythign else. I don't have any objection for TV time - but noones really interested in it here.

[mummyMia]

I am not keen on young children watching TV. I never let ds watch any at all until he was 3. Now that he is in reception year I do let him watch some as he is exhausted after school, but not every day. Dd who is 17 months is allowed to watch with him but she is not all that interested yet. I never put the TV on until after school. At the moment, I only have one mindee, 19 months, and she leaves at 3:30 so she never gets to watch any.

[AliceK]

rarely if ever, I never offer it - and its rare for anyone to ask for it to go on - if they do I normally agree and the moment the tv is playing to an empty room it goes off again. Computer gets used more regularly by both day time and after school kids as does my eepad again by all age ranges. I'm quite big into getting kids into ICT and think its valuable learning in balance with everythign else. I don't have any objection for TV time - but noones really interested in it here.

I'm always finding the TV on in an empty room, I turn it off, but the minute I do someone always comes in and moans because I've just turned it off. They weren't even watching it

xxxxx

[miss mopple]

I never put mine on when Im working. I'm a meanie I am

[mandy moo]

I too only have after schoolers, and the TV mostly goes on as soon as they get in the door.
I do however, always have some sort of art and craft stuff out ready for them in the dining room, or lego etc in the lounge, for them to do if they dont want to watch TV.

[Ali56]

We have the TV on a bit. After schoolies like phineas and ferb while they eat their snack, then they are all to busy to watch it! LO's like Mr Tumble, so we sometimes watch something special. Also, show me show me if we need another programme to watch!!! I LOVE sky+! I just record the programmes I don't mind LO's watching, then if they need the TV on for any reason then I have something 'appropriate' for them to watch. I HATE adverts aimed at children with a vengeance and they are not allowed to watch them at all. So at least with sky+ it goes off when the programme has finished!

[Vickster]

Not for my mindees. but my daughter watches Something Special when they nap as she is 2 and doesnt nap anymore and then after mindees have gone I put it in for half an hour for my two so I can tidy up.