Apparantly I'm weird!!!

[Mrs V]

My 5.5 year old daughter invited her friend to play this afternoon after they spent the morning together at a farm.
We got back to my house and the first thing her friend asked was if she could have the telly on. I told her that we don't have the television on during the day as there are so many things that we can all be doing in the garden, especially as the weather is fabulous. She looked at me as if I had horns and said "that's weird!!".
Her mum is a childminder and whenever I visit the telly is always on. It's a huge shame when all she has to look forward to is the telly.

 

[NiaX]

Forget the telly situation - I can't believe she called you wierd!

Seriously though, it is awful that all some children like to do is watch the television during the summer holidays. I can remember spending all day in the garden when I was younger. If the paddling pool wasn't full, we'd play with the hosepipe!

At 5 years old, we would put a blanket on the grass and have a 'picnic' using leaves and bits of wood - now that's wierd!

 

[Mrs V]

Lol I can remember making mud pies!! I love being outdoors and when I have had my ofsted inspection so that I can also do childminding there will be no exception. Telly has it's time and place, but not on continuously...no wonder children have no imaginations apart from what they see on the telly.

 

[Shirleen]

Weird...is that a bad thing?
You find it weird that they should have the tv on all the time, she thinks you're weird for the opposite reason.
Horses for courses and each to their own!

My sons friends think I'm posh and his nickname is Posh at school...all because I won't allow slang or the use of 'f' for 'th' etc! I'm as far from posh as you can get!

However I think this little girl is RUDE!

 

[fillymum]

I can not believe a 5 year old would say that. The little minx.

I suppose the T.V. is an easy option for a child minder though I would like to think that my kids were enjoying something more constructive.

If any one here is a child minder I would love to know what you do with your 5 year old charges.

 

[NiaX]

An old friend of mine used to be a childminder and I remember her saying that she would let the pre schoolers have half an hour of telly in the morning while she prepared lunch etc. Then she used to have story time, craft time and so on.

I seem to remember her having to pick older children up from school and give them their tea. I think she used to let them watch telly when they came in, then it was tea time and homework.

I haven't spoken to her for about a year, I think I'd better give her a call!

 

[AnnaFaraday]

To be fair, she said "that's weird", not "you're weird".

 

[Mrs V]

To be fair, she said "that's weird", not "you're weird".

No, she then went on to say I'm weird after I had told her that we didn't have the telly on during the day. I mentioned it to her mum and she laughed and said "oh, I only put the telly in when the children go to sleep"...that has never been the case!

 

[Leapfrog]

I wonder what she'd call me - I have no TV at all

 

[Mrs V]

I wonder what she'd call me - I have no TV at all

Lol I dread to think!!!

 

[kerry b]

If any one here is a child minder I would love to know what you do with your 5 year old charges.

I work as a nanny and I tie them up and put them in the wine cellar while I have my mates over and drink all the booze and smoke.(kidding, honest)

Seriously though.I look after a 9 yr old a 7 yr old A 1yr old and i also take my 3 yr old son with me. Their parents rules are the are allowed 1hr screen time during holidays (I only have the older ones during hols) over the day,it is up to them whether they use it for tv computer or wii. Does my head in that the 9yr old is asking for screen time before 8am most mornings and has been known to be watching tv or on computer when i arrive at 7.45.

My boss took me to one side the other day to say that the boys had been complaining that i wouldnt let them have screen time through the day and i had made them play out in the garden ALL day and I had told them that while the sun was shining or even while it wasnt raining (sun is a bonus as far as im concerned) they would play outside in the garden or we could go to a park if they prefered.

They can have their screen time when mum and dad are home. Im not paid to sit them in front of the tv/computer and they are lucky enough to have a great garden full of toys to play in. It drives me insane that kids need the tv to be entertained, let them use their imagination for goodness sake.

On cold wet days we play board games or do arts and crafts or bake

 

[kingleds]

I work as a nanny and I tie them up and put them in the wine cellar while I have my mates over and drink all the booze and smoke.(kidding, honest)

Seriously though.I look after a 9 yr old a 7 yr old A 1yr old and i also take my 3 yr old son with me. Their parents rules are the are allowed 1hr screen time during holidays (I only have the older ones during hols) over the day,it is up to them whether they use it for tv computer or wii. Does my head in that the 9yr old is asking for screen time before 8am most mornings and has been known to be watching tv or on computer when i arrive at 7.45.

My boss took me to one side the other day to say that the boys had been complaining that i wouldnt let them have screen time through the day and i had made them play out in the garden ALL day and I had told them that while the sun was shining or even while it wasnt raining (sun is a bonus as far as im concerned) they would play outside in the garden or we could go to a park if they prefered.

They can have their screen time when mum and dad are home. Im not paid to sit them in front of the tv/computer and they are lucky enough to have a great garden full of toys to play in. It drives me insane that kids need the tv to be entertained, let them use their imagination for goodness sake.

On cold wet days we play board games or do arts and crafts or bake

You sound like my old nanny we were only allowed to watch either playschool, rainbow or blue peter (but not all in the same day). No food except at mealtimes (except a biscuit (not a choccie one) in the afternoon), lego, craft time, books, playing in the garden,mud pies & ths playground! Never did us any harm.

Its not weird to limit tv exposure for young kids. Most parents do it now i think & those that do probably wish they could!

 

[kerry b]

Mmmm, I am a bit of a witch but I do allow snacks and have been known to give the odd choccie biscuit or ice cream on a nice day. Not on a regular basis of course, wouldnt want them thinking im soft or anything.

 

[Safia]

I have 2 daughters aged 16 months and 2 and half. I do allow them some tv during the day after their breakfast but after 10 mins or so they are doing something else and not bothered with the tv. They would much rather go outside and dig in the mud, have a run and they love being around people so going to the supermarket isn't the usual nightmare it used to be. I think when they were a lot younger i encouraged them to play more whereas one of my friends used to put her son in front of the tv and now he is never off the tv and he is just 4 months older than my oldest daughter.

I did find one thing out that if i needed to get to sleep quickly i just had to watch c beebies because whatever time i put it on its always a repeat and i can just feel myself dozing off zzzz