childminder letting kids play xbox 18+

bobbybuttons

I have 2 young children age 6 and 8 who go to a local registered childminder during holidays. One day last week they came home and told me they had seen rude things on a game . When i googled the game i was completely shocked what i saw and the fact it was a 18+ game (gta5). I did ask the childminder about this and was told the game was bought for her lad age 8 by his Dad and he had taken the game from the kitchen without her knowing. She said she was really sorry and i said in future i did not want my children playing on games which were not appropriate for their age. I feel she should have been keeping a closer eye on the children and what they were doing. I'm am just shocked still by what the children had seen and heard on this game but at the same time the childminder has become a friend so i'm stuck in an awkward position. Just wondering what others thoughts are on this and what you would do in this situation. I almost feel like i maybe over reacting but at the same time the children have seen something which was completely not suitable for them and it obv concerned them as they told me about it as soon as they got home.

jemb

If it was taken without her knowing it's not like she gave your boys it. She knows where you stand and she's probably really embarassed now, I'd give her the benfit of the doubt, but explain to your boys about why they shouldnt have had it and how he was naughty for taking it without his Mum's say so?

ViolaLass

Like you OP, I'd be concerned that for a period of time, she clearly didn't know what they were up to.

Mojisola

bobbybuttons wrote: »

I did ask the childminder about this and was told the game was bought for her lad age 8 by his Dad and he had taken the game from the kitchen without her knowing.

And where was she while the kids were playing the game?

Added: I would be giving the game back to the ex and saying that it had to stay at his house.

Nicki

So, given that her job is to actually look after the children, and she is paid to do just that, exactly how long did she leave them alone for to enable them to find the game, load it and play it without her noticing! She isn't being paid just to be in the same house at the same time as your kids and at 6 your youngest should certainly be being entertained and not just plonked in front of an x box.

I'd be massively unimpressed and would make it clear that friend or not more was expected from her when looking after my kids.

HappyMJ

Where is the Xbox and why isn't the childminder in the same room as them? With young children in the house I'd be having the Xbox in the lounge where the use of it can be supervised....it's a computer too and can be used to access almost anything on the internet. Childminder doesn't have to be too engrossed in the game play and can do other things but with the occasional glance towards the screen a childminder can see that nothing undesirable is being accessed.

bobbybuttons

The xbox is in the childminders sons bedroom upstairs, she does have younger children she minds who are in the playroom downstairs

Nicki

That's still unacceptable to me. So could your kids go upstairs and read husbands !!!!!! collection then. Or into the kitchen and play with matches? She is supposed to be supervising them which means she knows what they are doing and if she has adult material (films or games) they should be put away from the areas the kids access not made available for them to play with! I wouldn't let my 6 year old access the Internet unsupervised or give him free rein to the whole content on Netflix and I wouldn't expect anyone paid to look after him when I'm at work to do so either.

pmlindyloo

You have two simple choices:

Find another childminder.

Believe that she will now be on her guard and it won't happen again.

If you and the children are happy in/with her care then give her a second chance.

To be perfectly honest the fact that her 8 year old son is watching games meant for 18 year olds would be a warning sign to me. Why was this game even allowed in the house?

HappyMJ

bobbybuttons wrote: »

The xbox is in the childminders sons bedroom upstairs, she does have younger children she minds who are in the playroom downstairs

And you pay for this service? Personally they shouldn't have more than an hour a day (supervised) on the TV/Xbox, they should amongst other things be getting out of the house and going to the local park and doing something else. Learning, interaction and all that stuff. School holidays aren't just for playing Xbox and watching TV in a room all by themselves.

Nicki

It's also pretty shocking that you only found out because your kids told you! If they hadn't mentioned it sounds like she wouldn't have done so either. Are you happy about that?