Naughty Nanna.......but doing the best I can!

I do not think people were being harsh to Teacher - she actually said that children are never too young for pre-reading activities! There is a need for parents to be given permission to lighten up and forget learning - children learn every day just by being involved in family life, it does not require effort - and yes, they learn from the TV too.

I look after my DGC1,2,3&4 for four full days a week, if it wasn't for BBC CBeebies we wouldn't survive I'm sure, we watch programmes together having conversations about what is happening,lots of questions are asked and answered and lots of things learnt too! There are favourites that are watched and the TV is turned off when children are engrossed in play, sleeping and eating meals. Anyone whom has looked after children regularly,on their own, at our age, in this modern world will know that today's Children's TV is educational and fun to watch!!!!! Don't ever feel guilty for letting Grandchildren watch TV, on Nannies watch it's Nannie's rules!

Teacher11 The kid is SICK! Are you always so po-faced? I always worry that I am prejudiced against teachers because I see them as know-it-alls who feel it necessary to put correct everyone, according to their rules....then someone like you comes along, and I feel so much better about my nasty mind!

I think people have been a little harsh here and personally thought Teacher11 was just trying to offer some other suggestions - so I wouldn't want her to feel bad about all the negative comments. Obviously our grandchildren are exhausting and the days are very, very long with a sick child - but there are great storytapes that even tinies enjoy. Sometimes it's even easier to listen than to watch.

I wouldn't want Katek to feel bad either as we all do what is necessary to get through the day. And it is a fact that there is a lot of rubbish on daytime TV. It took quite a few postings for us to know that this was NOT what Katek meant, as she was playing pre-recorded TV shows which had been selected carefully. It is this careful selection that I think is important - and I think most people would agree on that, including Teacher11.

Now on way home - tired but contented. Feel I have done my best, dgs is lots better, mummy and daddy are there for the weekend and I can go home to see DH who has been away. I've treated myself to a well deserved first class weekend upgrade, so currently sitting in comfy seat with my cuppa and a chocolate muffin (bad!) watching scenery go by. I shall sleep tonight!!

No guilt allowed! You are doing a great job. We often use 'the nanny in the corner' to give us a break when looking after the grandchildren, as I did when my three girls were young and we were busy doing necessary office-work, and the children's TV then was far inferior. They have all grown into intelligent, thoughtful young women so it couldn't have done them much harm.

DGS like his Mother when she was small gets very high temperatures, he lies on the sofa with a towel wrapped icepack on the back of his neck and watches, Shrek, or one of the very old Disney movies, Sword in the Stone is a great favourite. He most certainly does not want to read, be read to, listen to stories or even be cuddled.
He is a very bright just turned 4 year old, who shocked his teachers by telling the time.
If he wants to watch TV when he is ill then so be it.

I offer this for what it's worth. When my elder daughter was a baby, I read a book called "teach your baby to read" Remember it anyone? Fired upby this, wWe had flashcards all over the flat and she could read lots of words by the time she was two. After that she got a bit bored with the game. We read lots of books and also watched children's TV. When my second daughter was born, I was too busy to bother with trying to teach her to read. She kind of taught herself! (I always thought I neglected her a bit.) We did taske them out a lot to interesting places though, as long as they were free or cheap! Now grown up, they are both voracious readers, watch very little TV and area a terrific Mum and stepmum. So I wouldn't worry if I were you. If you love them they will turn out OK.

Tizliz apart from taking you to Specsavers, do your dogs know Crufts will be on??
If they are naughty you could show them the Dogs Trust ad or, indeed the Specsavers one with the shortsighted shepherd!!
Idea for a thread? TV progs for our pets?

When the gc are at my house they don't usually bother with TV or computers, they draw, paint cut and stick, build lego/duplo etc. if I am not too busy (in the mood) they bake or sew with supervision, however when they are obviously tired or ill, we cuddle up on the settee and watch TV, Shaun the Sheep is always a favourite, I have some cartoons etc recorded which entertain me as well, so this is not a tiresome ordeal.
I have found that they do become 'hypnotised' by TV, so that if I am at their house trying to get them ready for school, or to eat a meal, the TV has to go off. (I am more strict than son and Dil in this respect)

I think what you do in your own home with your children is entirely up to you teacher but surely anyone who is 'using'grandparents for free childcare has to turn a blind eye occasionally?
Obviously if your parents or in laws ignored basic safety or stuffed your children with sweets it would be different.
I dont have grandchildren but can see how exhausting it might be in your sixties to look after a young child all day especially if they are fractious . Lighten up
And incidentally my children watched v little TV when young and neither watches much now .Nor do I as it happens ,but I look forward one day to discovering Peppa pig et al.

Katek no guilt required! The main function of a Nanna is love and cuddles and creating happy memories.

Teacher11 if you are 'for real' you are giving teachers a bad name! A sick child is in need of very different care to a well child as a Nana and an experienced teacher will know. Read your post to DH and we both had a good giggle.

When I used to stay with my grandparents I was spoilt in the nicest possible way. If I wanted beans on toast for lunch every day, I got beans on toast. It was the Fifties and afternoon pictures was the norm, you got the main film, a cartoon, a 'b' movie and Pathe news. Good value for your money. My GM and I went at least four times during my fortnight stay. I have never forgotten those happy days, I adored my grandparents and want the same for my DGDS . We have more time, we know that a bit of spoiling isn't going to harm them. Due to the fact that a lot of GPS like me have retired, so we give them our greatest gift, time.

I am a great fan of Peppa Pig and Bing Bunny personally! My grandchildren watch them in moderation at their homes. They don't come here very often because of distance but I have several DVD's they ask for which I reserve for if they are poorly or if we have been out and they are tired. I think, as grandparents, we feel a huge responsibility looking after grandchildren as we don't have the 24/7, day to day instinct that we had with our own children plus the fact we are a little afraid of being held to task for doing the wrong thing!

Seriously teacher? Get a life.

When my first grandson aged about two was poorly we would watch YouTube videos over and over again, his favourites being dustcarts around the world; you would be surprised how different they are . Another favourite was construction machinery: digger fills tip up lorry, lorry reverses down a hill in the mud, tips out the load and goes back for more. Great fun so long as he was happy. Of course I read to him when he wanted me to, who doesn't! and he's a smart 7 year old now but they were precious cuddles watching bin men load their trucks.

One of DD's friends had no TV at all as a child. Now in her 40's she freely admits she will watch almost anything.

Well said... Exactly what I thought when I read the teacher message!

I don't watch a lot of tv (happy Valley an exception) and have never watched day time telly. I was looking after 10 month old grandson yesterday afternoon. He's teething and woke from his nap with bright red cheeks and a grumpy approach to life. The only thing that would console him was being cuddled and I switched the tv on because I know he and his mum sometimes snuggle up together to watch a Disney and he'll nod off again. I don't have a Disney channel and found the tv was on the Gold channel which was showing the Faulty Towers episode with the dead body. I haven't seen it for years and found myself crying with laughter. My grandson was so taken aback by seeing grannie loose it, he totally forgot to cry about his teeth.
There's an awful lot of snobbery about tv watching. I speak as someone who worries about poor speech development etc from too much being plugged in to the telly but honestly - let's have a bit of live and let live and as others have said, easy rules as grannies.

When we are in the UK we often look after GS after preschool. With DS working from home he needs peace and quiet. So we do have a film or TV on in our part of the house some afternoons. Has this stunted GS?, I don't think so. He is a very lively interactive little boy, with an immensely wide vocabulary, a great love of books, but does need 'down time' Do I feel guilty, not a bit. If you are good enough to look after GC then you should be permitted to do things your way.

Was it someone on Mumsnet who said that, when her DC were playing up in the back of the car, she sang 'What's the Story in Balamory' at the top of her voice.

DGD2: 'but why are their houses all painted different colours?'
'Because they look pretty and they like them like that'
'Yes, but why do they like them like that?'

Um .....

All rules go out of the window with a poorly child.

All rules go out of the window with a GrandChild.

Therefore, there are no rules!

I love the Balamory tune.

The theme tune to Balamory brings back happy memories of being on 'Granny duty'. They're nearly all teenagers now but I bet they remember cuddling up in front of the telly to watch a favourite programme.

Having just looked after our very active two year old DGS for a week (nine days and eight nights actually), I found his favourites, Thomas and Peppa an absolute godsend. I did watch with him and was impressed how much social learning there is in both programmes. It gave me time to sit and rest!

And everyone loves jumping up and down in muddy puddles!