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I'm ok with this kind of thing happening at home or even with a sitter because Home is a different environment, but I think in a daycare they should be able to manage 2 ups with basically zero screen time. (But I'd be ok with letting some go.) I don't like that she's not giving you an actual answer. I would want to know what the centers policy is on this. And fwiw where we live it is HOT in the summers.. but I still think it can be done sans screen time. And screen time right before nap doesn't sound good.

Can you pinpoint what about it is making you upset? As @kiddosc: asked is it just that you didn't know? Or do you not allow tv/videos?

Our DD goes to an in home daycare and in our initial interview we asked about tv and we were told no tv. We've never seen tv during drop off or pick up however we know they watch tv at some point bc DD knows shows we don't watch and now that she can talk she tells us tv is on once in a while. I was little taken aback only bc we were told no tv. However that was 4 yrs ago. I also don't believe it's all day nor do I believe it is adversely affecting DD in any way. The shows she recognizes are sesame street and Daniel tiger. So ultimately we are ok with it.

I will say though that if DD was recognizing shows that were not appropriate (criminal minds or GOT) then I would for sure have an issue. And again we are in an in home vs larger facility.

This would absolutely annoy me. The not knowing about it before hand, absolutely, but just the fact they do it in general. Daycare centers should NOT have a need to have screen time. If they can't manage 2 year olds for 15 minutes while they set up cots or get food out for lunch, WTF are they doing?

We allow screen time at home and I have absolutely nothing against screen time in general, but I'm paying my daycare good money to not just sit them in front of a TV to distract them or keep them occupied. That would seriously piss me off.

I would not be OK with this, but even more so, I'm not OK with how the teacher seemed to evade your questions ( "no, not unless it's educational.")

That said, our teachers do use screen time occasionally - but for very specific reasons. EG: when they were reading Brown Bear in his toddler room, they had the book, and they had toy animals, but they also watched a few video clips from zoos/nature of the real animals walking around and making the real noises. To me, that is a VERY brief few minutes where the teacher is ACTIVELY teaching and using it as an example that compliments the illustrations in the book and other classroom materials.

Passively watching tv while the teachers do other things? Even for a short time is definitely not ok in my book

ETA: that Spanish teacher comment makes no sense at all to me. Why is a video needed?

@MrsADS: @MrsLonghorn: My Kindergartener did a lot of videos with active movement. She really loved it. Yes its screen time, but she was literally up and dancing and moving throughout.

I may be on the other side of things. We use an in-home daycare that is very small, like 5-6 kids. There are only 2 adults and since I've been popping in to breastfeed my baby throughout the day, I have a pretty good idea of their routine. They spend all morning with the kids outside (or if the weather is bad, in the front room) playing hard. Then lunch starts and when that's over, they turn the TV on in the living room and take the kids one by one and change the diapers and lay them down for quiet time. Some kids fall asleep, some don't and just watch the TV. But this way, they're all quiet and resting in the same room.

At first I was kind of miffed that they were watching TV at all. But for my son, it is educational. The shows are all Spanish baby shows, so if he picks up a few words here and there when he doesn't fall asleep, I think it is just fine.

In your situation, I would be upset if there was a clear expectation of no TV and they were using it as a transition tool. As part of an overall learning session, TV is just fine as a supplement. But since she was cagey, she's probably using it in a way that she knows you wouldn't be happy about.

@mrsads: I am completely against screentime at daycares. I actually pulled my daughter from one when I realized just how much screentime they got (rainy days = TV days, hot days = TV days) and this was the 2 year old room. I feel your pain and do not think you are overreacting. I feel like if they think 10-15 minutes is okay, then they probably think longer times are okay as they get older, too.

This would not bother me. If I found out they were watching cartoons ( like paw patrol or pj mask) then I would be. But colorful movement on the tv put to music gets kids interested. The problem I see is they seem to hide the tv and not be upfront about it, that would upset me.

Our preschool is a lab preschool and they have a giant ( 60 inch I think) interactive tv and it was one of the positives for us.

It's weird she was cagey about it. I'm surprised about the screen time given that it's a lab school. They tend to have crazy high standards and to my knowledge most never do any screen time at that age.

Is there a big indoor play area to run around in? That's what DR's center does when it's too hot.

This would bother me a lot. DS just started kindergarten this year and attended 3 daycares over the past 5 years. To my knowledge, tv was not permitted at any of them. I get that watching children is not an easy job, but i f a daycare is staffed appropriately, teachers should receive a break or time to get things set up. I would absolutely talk to the director about your concerns. You need to feel good about how your children are being cared for while you are away.

@MrsADS: I think it's ok personally, assuming they really dont exceed 15 minutes a day. Any more than that and they really should have made it clear from the beginning that it's part of their lesson plans.

I wouldn't love if they were doing it daily, because my kids get enough screen time at home and I pay daycare a sh*tload of money every week. But if it was occasional, for a short period of time, and in conjunction with something they were teaching, it wouldn't phase me at all.

I'm ok with screen time. One of my DD's favorite words is Dory. But when I'm paying for childcare I don't want to pay for my kid to be watching tv. I wouldn't say anything about a once a week short video, but daily wouldn't be ok with me.

@MrsADS: Our daycare (norther VA) has a policy not to go outside if it's over 90 degrees. While your child may not care, other kids (like mine) can get really overheated, and I totally understand why they may want to be conservative about taking them outside, especially in the afternoon.

My personal 2 cents is if the TV is very limited (I'd say under 30 minutes/day), and is educationally focused/tied to curriculum, I'm OK with it. My kid learns a ton from PBS and other educationally minded content, so I'm not concerned with it.

I think it's actually a good use of technology if a short amount of television can be used to show kids something they might not otherwise have access to - like a yoga or dance lesson, or the tour of a school bus the OP used as an example, or as a supplement to language learning. In this case, I think the video is being used interactively, and in place of a field trip or guest that might not be possible physically or financially.

Standard shows like Sesame Street, Daniel Tiger, Dora....even though they're "educational", I'd be a lot less excited about those. Our gym daycare plays Mickey Mouse Clubhouse when they need to corral the kids into one area for a cleanup (like someone had a pee accident in another area), or if a young child is inconsolable, since they don't really have the staff ratio to have 1 or 2 adults caring for only 1 or 2 upset kids...and I understand it, and deal with it, but still don't like it very much. I hate that a TV gets turned on when there are cool things like a gym, maze, STEM toys, etc. available.

@MrsADS: We are currently having this experience. The center claims to use a child centered, creative play, "high scope" program, but we have realized they show videos in the morning and in the afternoon. When I pick up between 4-5, I find them watching 2/3 of the time. Sometimes the videos are baby bum bum songs and sometimes episodes of Peppa Pig. The other morning at drop off my daughter ran in and immediately asked "TV time?" It just about broke my heart. She has also been drawing TVs.

I checked the classroom schedule and TV time isn't listed as an activity. I got the brush off when I asked about the videos, but I want to know exactly how long they watch.

Has anyone found a tactful way to address this without causing a conflict with the teacher? I fear we are going to have to pull her out, but I am worried we can't trust what other centers say they do either.