I have to agree. As long as someone is up front about their tv policy then it doesn't really matter what others think. In all seriousness we do limit television (to say you 'see through those parents' is pretty silly). We had no tv prior to my son turning 2. Now that he is older we try to limit to about 20 minutes in the mornings (which is viewed on a computer). We don't have any television on in the background because we have no television.

Both my husband and I grew up watching a lot of television. We are both highly successful and well adjusted people, but I look back and feel like I wasted half my childhood watching crappy tv. I wish my parents had limited my tv time so I would have been forced to do other things with my time.

Long story short. No day care center should have a television. A home daycare is a little different and that is up to what is decided between the provider and parent. I would be wary of choosing a place that used television (around infants) but there would be other factors that went into the decision.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We specifically avoided any daycare with a television in the children's area, even those that had policies that I was generally okay with (e.g., Friday movie) because I had no way of knowing if that was actually enforced and heard too many stories of places where it was not.

That's not to say my child will never watch television, but I am not okay with someone I am paying to engage my child using the television (or, for that matter, a computer/phone/etc.) to do that. In the same way, I would not be okay with a school consistently using a television instead of teaching my child.

If a provider is unable to watch the children and engage them in an appropriate way while preparing food or doing other tasks, then an aide is in order, even if it's not legally mandated. I have no issues with my child being asked to help with meal preparations that don't involve fire or sharp knives, though. That seems like a terrific way to occupy him while meals are being prepared.

LOL So you will tell a provider to figure out a way to keep the group of kids occupied while cooking but be the first one here on DCUM asking others how to cook dinner and get things done while your little ones are around. While involving the help from ONE child to prepare meals might be great idea to you, try it with 4-5 little ones. Whatever. I do what works for me, and if that is putting something on tv for the kids for 20 minutes then so be it.

That's fine, as long as the parents of the children you watch know about and agree with your approach. The point is just that there are many daycares and preschools that successfully involve more than one child in meal preparation or other activities to allow the caregivers to prepare the meals without sitting the kids in front of the television. Alternatively, meals can be prepared ahead of time--our son's lunch is not usually hot and that's never been an issue. You do what works for you, and let parents do what works for them.

Anonymous wrote:We specifically avoided any daycare with a television in the children's area, even those that had policies that I was generally okay with (e.g., Friday movie) because I had no way of knowing if that was actually enforced and heard too many stories of places where it was not.

That's not to say my child will never watch television, but I am not okay with someone I am paying to engage my child using the television (or, for that matter, a computer/phone/etc.) to do that. In the same way, I would not be okay with a school consistently using a television instead of teaching my child.

If a provider is unable to watch the children and engage them in an appropriate way while preparing food or doing other tasks, then an aide is in order, even if it's not legally mandated. I have no issues with my child being asked to help with meal preparations that don't involve fire or sharp knives, though. That seems like a terrific way to occupy him while meals are being prepared.

LOL So you will tell a provider to figure out a way to keep the group of kids occupied while cooking but be the first one here on DCUM asking others how to cook dinner and get things done while your little ones are around. While involving the help from ONE child to prepare meals might be great idea to you, try it with 4-5 little ones. Whatever. I do what works for me, and if that is putting something on tv for the kids for 20 minutes then so be it.

We specifically avoided any daycare with a television in the children's area, even those that had policies that I was generally okay with (e.g., Friday movie) because I had no way of knowing if that was actually enforced and heard too many stories of places where it was not.

That's not to say my child will never watch television, but I am not okay with someone I am paying to engage my child using the television (or, for that matter, a computer/phone/etc.) to do that. In the same way, I would not be okay with a school consistently using a television instead of teaching my child.

If a provider is unable to watch the children and engage them in an appropriate way while preparing food or doing other tasks, then an aide is in order, even if it's not legally mandated. I have no issues with my child being asked to help with meal preparations that don't involve fire or sharp knives, though. That seems like a terrific way to occupy him while meals are being prepared.