Games console area in playroom - help!

[NinkyNonk]

Hi, I am in the process of registering to be a childminder so am going through getting things changed around the house. I do have a separate playroom but as my kids are a bit older now I do need to change things around and go back to catering for younger children. Anyway...in one corner we have a table with my sons game console on (it's high lever and a bar stools). Now I'm aware we're going to have to change something there but I'm unsure what to do. I think:
1) the bar stools may be considered unsafe
2) is it appropriate for my son to play games which maybe aimed at older than the childminding kids (if you know what I mean!)
3) is it fair though to turf my son out of the playroom?? We put the xbox downstairs on purpose as we don't want him shut away in his room.
4) as I'm looking to stick to early years (under school age) it'll need to be out of the way (at the moment the high level table caters for that, but the fact you need a higher stool to reach it causes problems).

I'm hoping someone else has older children and come across this....any advice gratefully received.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

It won't be considered acceptable if you child is playing games, seen by others, for which the age is not suitable. Either it has to go elsewhere or played after they go home.

Sorry :blush:

[loocyloo]

I wouldn't have things for older children in the playroom that are unsuitable for the minded children.
If you are using the playroom for preschoolers, can your son use the sitting room for his electronics?
I would also be concerned about children climbing up/pulling over a bar stool so would probably move it out of a playroom.
It could be moved back weekends and evenings.

Different, but at weekends we put out a huge indoor run for our guinea pigs. This is then packed away during my working week.

[FussyElmo]

I have a games console downstairs but they are only allowed to play age appropriate games. Any older ones have to wait till all mindees have gone home.

[NinkyNonk]

Hmmm...pretty much as I expected. Thanks for your responses. I'll have to have a re-think as to how we'll work it. Out living room has doors through to the playroom, so my plan was to open those doors up and have minded children flowing between the two...so having it in the living room wouldn't work either. Thinking cap on....

Of course this all depends on what time I have minded children as to whether he'll be home from school. :-)

Thanks for your help ladies...much appreciated.

[natlou82]

I'm a newbie too, awaiting reg visit. I am hoping to use playroom for little ones and lounge for older after schoolies. My son already has an xbox set up in lounge, but not sure whether I'll being allowing play during childminding time as yet.

[AliceK]

How old is your DS?
My DS is 9 and he goes through phases of always wanting to be on his Xbox so I didn't feel it would be fair on him to not be allowed to use it (plus the risk of it being damaged) it is now in his room. Yes sometimes he comes in from school and goes up there but loads of other times he stays downstairs and plays with the others. I think it's important that my children know that they can have their own space and use their own things whenever they want to and not have to wait until I've finished work.

xxx

[NinkyNonk]

How old is your DS?
My DS is 9 and he goes through phases of always wanting to be on his Xbox so I didn't feel it would be fair on him to not be allowed to use it (plus the risk of it being damaged) it is now in his room. Yes sometimes he comes in from school and goes up there but loads of other times he stays downstairs and plays with the others. I think it's important that my children know that they can have their own space and use their own things whenever they want to and not have to wait until I've finished work.

xxx

Yes I agree completely...my son is 11. I will only be using downstairs for minding as I don't want to change their bedrooms etc, and have somewhere they can get away I guess. My only issue with it being upstairs is that he'll end up being up there most of the weekend....the way our front room goes into the playroom (with doors) is nice as it means he's still 'with us' if you know what I mean, and far more likely to stop playing and join in with something else.

Of course I may just be thinking too much! I am only aiming for 2 under 5's and I'm not looking to work on a full time basis (as in 7am - 6pm) so maybe the timings won't be an issue for him. He does have a high level table with bar stools at the moment so I'm thinking of changing that for a normal height desk/chair.

It's so difficult as I was to do childminding but at the same time I don't want to make massive changes for my kids as I don't think that's fair.

[natlou82]

I'm sure you'll figure something out that suits all x my Son is only 7 and it's rare he plays on his xbox during the week anyway so wouldn't be a big change for him whatever I decide. Good luck getting started :)

[smurfette]

How about just a rule then that the xbox can and does come down at the weekend with your Ds? My girls have a wii which I don't let them play in sitting room during week due to risk of injuries or
It getting broken.. They have a cabin in the garden with a tv where it lives and if they want to play it during the week they go there or bring it into house in the evening, and back to cabin during the day. Either that or it stays in sitting room and Los are taught not to touch it, and they play when they have gone home

Bar stools may be more of a worry, can u store
Them anywhere else like his room so he can have them back at weekend?

[JCrakers]

I would consider how your son would feel if he can't relax especially as he gets older. I always think about my own children in regards to being at school all day and wanting to come home and relax. My son has his xbox in his room as he likes to chat with friends online. My DS is older now (nearly 15) but his xbox has been in his room since he had it at 8yrs. I used to give him a certain amount of time (1hr) to play then he had to turn it off. Now he's on it longer.

Could it be moved into the lounge away from the mindees?

I have two breakfast bar chairs in my dining room as I have an open plan kitchen/diner which is joined onto the playroom. They have never been a problem but they do have a wide bottom so don't tip easily. No one has ever tried to climb onto them because I teach them not to.

Its all about RA, if they do tip or you can see them as a problem then its better if they go somewhere else :thumbsup:

[clareelizabeth1]

Can't you just remove the stall during the day and bring it back in when he wants to play it and only allow suitable games during minding hours. Your then not making him stop he's still downstairs.

As for mindies pulling a stall on him I think their parents have chosen a home setting stalls are quite common in homes and it is a risk children need to learn to live with.

[NinkyNonk]

To be honest I'd assumed Ofsted would tell me I couldn't have bar stools in the playroom. I had a pre reg visit from a lady from NCA and she said it's something they may pick up on, so I was thinking of sorting that before Ofsted come.

Thanks for your input though, it's good to get different opinions on these things.

[AliceK]

I have 2 bar stools in my kitchen and mindees don't touch them but then again I am always in the kitchen with them if they are in there. However in the playroom I am not always in there so I wouldn't trust them not to attempt to climb them etc and would worry that one might pull it over. My playroom is the only area where I feel comfortable leaving the children for a short while if I have to do something else as that room is completely child friendly and RA'd to the nth degree.

xxxxx