Should Child Be Forced to Watch Tv at Daycare.

She should never be forced to watch TV. She should be expected to sit quietly and read a book or do a puzzle, but not forced to watch tv. Talk to the DC provider (nicely and nonconfrontationally) and tell them that you do not appreciate her being forced to watch tv and that they need to redirect to books or puzzles or you will find other arraingments.

Find another day care. There are no TVs where my daughter goes. At drop off they pick a station and work/ play on whatever they want. At pick up they are read a story while sitting down on their name tags. When it is time to go they are released one by one out the door as their parents appear. The rest remain seated quietly. The day care shouldn't have to use TV for anything. Good luck and I hope you come up with a solution!

I definitely do not believe she should be forced to watch TV. I mean some parents don't even allow their children to watch Tv. Most daycares that I have visited only allow one movie one day a week. I would nicely talk to them about your concerns and about offering another quiet activity. I have a 3 yr old and they have Circle Time where the sit quietly and look at books. Do you think she would run around and not mind if she had the other activities?

That being said there may not be much you can do about it. It is their daycare and if that's the way they choose to run it you may not have any recourse other than finding a new daycare.

I would say if they re unwilling to let her occupy herself with something else--look for a new place! Good luck!

I would be very upset. They shouldn't even have a TV in the daycare.

Can you find another daycare? I'd be super pissed if my child was even offered t.v. much less "forced" to watch it at a day care. There is no place for television in a daycare situation. You are paying these people to not only watch your child but to teach them something. By no means am I against t.v., I just really think it's something that shouldn't be offered in daycare.
If you can't get a new daycare, then you can just air your feelings about it, suggest something else and hold on until kindergarten.

This is why I pulled my daughter out of her first daycare. It is completely inappropriate to force a group of small children to sit still for any activity, especially to watch TV.

M.,

I'd find another daycare. I run a home daycare and we do not watch tv at all. I also don't force any child to do any activity. We encourage all kids to participate in structured activities, such as art or other fine motor activities (playdough, legos etc...) but if a child doesn't want to do it there are alternatives. It ridiculous to punish a 4 year old for not participating in something they aren't interested in ESPECIALLY watching TV. If they were reading stories in circle time and she was running around screaming and pulling other kids' hair that would be a whole different story. Good grief...

Sounds like it's time for new daycare

i don't think there's anything wrong with having the tv on to try to keep kids calmer during pickup/dropoff time - it is a very chaotic and crazy time. but i would hope the daycare provider would find another way to occupy your daughter, if she doesn't have any interest, instead of punishing her for not watching tv. that sounds kind of ignorant and cold hearted to me.you don't mention how old your daugher is, but my son is a very energetic 3 and doesn't sit still for much - i can sympathize. i'd be looking for another provider if i were you.

There's no reason why the day care can't provide another activity for your daughter to do during tv time, something quiet like you suggested. However, she should not be allowed to run arround.

Good luck.

No, she should not be forced.
She can and should be given something else to play with.
Meanwhile, the caretaker should be supervising all the kids anyway... or unless there is not an adequate ratio of kids to Care-takers.

How old is your daughter?

At most day cares, kids play outside while being dropped off in the morning and in the afternoons waiting for parents to pick them up. If there is bad weather, they are playing inside.

I cannot see a problem with your daughter doing puzzles or blocks, coloring..
Have you asked them?

I have never been in a child care enviornment (daycare, preschool, school, church, etc) that the only thing a child could do was watch TV... or there was only one choice of things to do at all unless it was a structured activity or learning time. For example at my daughters preschool they have play time before school begins while all kids are being dropped off and teachers getting ready, etc- there are tons of activies to choose from, color, draw, cut paper, play dolls or kitchen, sand box (which is really cool that there is an inside sandbox) blocks and legos, cars, etc. Same at church (puzzles, coloring, books, even some free run and play time, etc.) Even when TV is an option (which isn't often) they don't usually force them to watch if they can do something else not interferring with those who are watching (unless the tv program goes along with the lesson - like veggie tales as church or something).
Maybe she is running around and causing disruptions or something and that is what she is getting in trouble for. I would talk more detailed (if you haven't already) about exactly what she is doing that she is getting in trouble for. If it is that she is required to ONLY watch TV at this time- you should maybe consider another daycare (if TV time is not in your beliefs). I can understand that they want the kids to have some down time before going home- but she should have options of other quite activities as well.
**After reading some of the other posts I wanted to add something- if they are making the kids sit down to watch tv because everything has already been cleaned up and they don't want a mess again then shame on them! I have been a nursery, preschool and elementary volunteer at church for years... yes we try to clean up some before parents come to get there children but our jobs (which we are not paid for) is not over until after all children have left then we clean up, sanitize, etc. but we don't make the kids just sit in their chairs staring at the wall (or TV) until time to go. If they get a book out to look it- we ask they put it back when their parents arrive. No big deal. Also most children who are old enough to sit and watch TV are also old enough to put toys, books and puzzles back on the shelves where they got them. I spent a morning at my daughters preschool and was amazed 30 kids playing with 100 toys it seemed. Teacher said "Time to clean up" and everything was back in its place within 5 minutes without an adult lifting one finger! Wish it were that easy at home. LOL
Hope this helps :)

I think the best thing to do would be to talk with your daycare provider in the room and explain to her that you're sorry she acts up, but she isn't really a tv watcher, so would it be a big deal to give her a puzzle or coloring book while the other kids are watching it? It is probably just something they do for "down time". Since 4 year olds mainly don't take naps still, it's a really good way to create some downtime before the parents come to pick them up. It probably makes the pickup a lot less stressful to the daycare provider also since she/he wouldn't have to run around trying to get kids to stop playing when their parents get there, and also probably gives them time to get things picked up and ready for the next day

I'd ask the school director if they could suggest another quiet time activity, like puzzles, books coloring etc. I get the posts that say the care providers are tired by end of day. But that's their job to care for kids till they leave the building. I satnd on my feet 12 hours a day and then my day is over. Perhaps the DC thinks if they let your daughter do it other kids will want to. So what? Then there could be a sectioned off part of the room where the kids have quite time and the others watch tv. They can also tell the kids if they aren't quite as far as not running around then the activity will stop. When my son was in DC they didn't have TV. They were playing games like puzzles or pushing toy cars around till we picked him up. No one was out of control. In fact sometimes the kids didn't want to leave because they were relaxing and hanging with their little friends.

She should not be forced to watch TV, ever after care at a school I have been involved with gives the option of watching a TV or can play in an certian area of the room (puzzles, books, kitchen area, coloring).

Are you paying for the aftercare then YES I would bring it up on asking if your daughter can do puzzles, look at books, color or do another quiet activity.

In my mind it is NEVER right to force a child to sit and watch TV, other options should be given! The one thing I would do is reminder your daughter to be respectful and ask do do another activity. Children under 10 need to be active after a long day at school so I am very much for if they do not want to watch TV they can do another activity.

usually daycares put a show on at the end of the day. teachers have been on their feet all day, end of the day, kids are leaving at different times so i understand the daycare. one option for you is to arrange earlier pick up for your daughter. ask the teachers what time does the tv gets put on and then do your best. i can understand them having a problem with one child roaming around while others are sitting and watching tv. no tv rule can be implemented at home, not in other settings.
my kids' kindergarten teacher puts on the tv when the recess is indoors. that is to keep kids quiet and calm. i am not ok with it but it is what it is.
so i yes they make the rules, if you don't want her to watch tv pick her up earlier.

I cannot imagine why anyone would be upset if you simply suggested an alternate activity to television and or ask if they do not have the supplies if you could bring something. It might be a simple matter of not wanting to clean up after everything was organized. Or the availability of something interesting to do. Or whoever is in charge of them might be very tired by the end of the day is ready herself to go home.

These are there rules and your daughter should be taught to respect the rules whether she likes them or not.

If you think about it the teacher may have 6 kids of different ages from a baby to a school ager. That is the proper ratio for an mixed groups with a baby. They may have a group of 15 kids ages 4 up to 10 or even 11 yrs. old, also proper ration. If I were watching those kids, had been at work all day, the room was cleaned up, kids faces washed, just having quiet time I would probably let them watch tv or do quiet activities. We had the tv on the last half hour we were open and while kids were coming in and eating breakfast, and some leaving to go to school. The kids have been watched and had structured class all day and had not been watching tv all day. It's down time for everyone. If one child is playing with toys other kids want to play with toys and pretty soon it's all messed up again and it's just easier to get kids in and out when they are doing the same thing.

You can't imagine what it was like at one center I worked at where the kids were allowed to have free play time when they finished eating breakfast until they got on the van to go to school. The kids from our center were the horrid kids at school. They were so wound up when they got to school they couldn't settle down for hours, some until after lunch. How do I know? The parents were getting calls nearly every day about their kids behaviors, their parents were asking up to please have them sit down and watch tv or something to keep them in line and settled down. By the time I got to work at 8am the kids were so wound up it would take me an hour just to get circle time started, there are definantly benefits to group activities. I finally quit and whn I did I told the Director that if there ahad been chandeliers the kids would have been swinging from them.