"Movie" once a week at daycare?

Anonymous
My husband and I are currently looking at day cares for our infant. Of the three we visited today, all three had "movie day" on Friday where they watched a movie. It wasn't clear if these were educational movies or cartoons (and I plan to ask the parents when I call the references), but is this normal? Seems slightly odd to me to pay someone to watch my kid only to have them plop the kid in front of the TV. Trying to balance that feeling with the fact that it's only one day a week. Would this be a deal breaker for you if everything else about the day care was good?
Anonymous
This is not a deal breaker. They are going to be watching a movie for probably, at most, 1 1/2 every week. That doesn't sound like much screen time to me. How many hours will your kid be in daycare? 40, 50? I'm sure whatever they are going to show will be age appropriate. Your kid will probably love it, too. This is small potatoes.
Anonymous
My kids have gone to a terrific daycare that ha movie day on Fridays. It was stuff like a Dora movie, or the kids could bring in a movie, so things like cars or finding nemo. My kids loved it. I don't think 90 minutes of tv a week is a problem.
Anonymous
When my child moved into the 3-4 yo group at daycare, they started to have movie day once a week. To be honest, I didn't like it at all. Not a dealbreaker, but not something I like at all.
Anonymous
They had movie day in the infant room? Really? This would be a deal breaker for me.
Anonymous
I would have a problem with movie day. Studies show that screen time should be limited. I would rather be watching with my child (if there is any screen time at all!) than have them plopped in front of the TV to give the caretakers a break.
Anonymous
That would be a deal breaker for me. Especially if you aren't planning on allowing TV in your house, why even let your kid know what it is at such a young age. Plus to have the daycare going against AAP recommendations on screen time when you are paying them to provide childcare? no thanks
Anonymous
OP here. There is no infant room. The place we are considering only has 8 kids, so they are all together.

This whole day care search thing sucks.
Anonymous
I plop my kids in front of the TV all the time. Why shouldn't a daycare?

TV is good for kids. It entertains them and makes them wise to pop culture.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:I would have a problem with movie day. Studies show that screen time should be limited. I would rather be watching with my child (if there is any screen time at all!) than have them plopped in front of the TV to give the caretakers a break.


And how do you know the provider is just plopping them down? What if she is watching with them? I hate those who make assumptions.
Anonymous
OP here again. For me it's the screen time that makes the difference, not if they are watching it with them or not.
Anonymous
Ive never heard of a daycare that does this. Not normal at all.
Anonymous
We are about to pull our child from a place that said they didn't have TV and are now showing movies and short shows. I'm sick of it and it's definitely a deal breaker for us. Parents like us who do not have TV at home really do exist and we don't really want to pay for someone to provide this to our preschooler either.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:I plop my kids in front of the TV all the time. Why shouldn't a daycare?

TV is good for kids. It entertains them and makes them wise to pop culture.


Would you feel the same though if you were paying $1600 per month for daycare. They could be doing art projects, reading, running around and then watching TV for free at home.
Anonymous
Our daycare has a couple of TVs with old video players, but they only get brought out in unusual situations. Like when the ac conked out last summer and they wanted to keep the kids calm and less active until the parents got there. I expect that if they stay open all week this week and the storms are particularly bad, they may set it up in the gym for the classrooms with big windows. Itching they've also done it on the last day before big holidays.
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