childminder letting kids play xbox 18+

A question about : childminder letting kids play xbox 18+

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.

Best answers:

• 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?
• Like you OP, I'd be concerned that for a period of time, she clearly didn't know what they were up to.
• 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.
• 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.
• The xbox is in the childminders sons bedroom upstairs, she does have younger children she minds who are in the playroom downstairs
• That's still unacceptable to me. So could your kids go upstairs and read husbands porn 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.
• 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?
• 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?
• I thought the rules were that they had to do just that mojisola. They won't pass their Ofsted inspection by plonking 6 kids in front of the TV day in day out. They are expected to take them all out for activities regularly.
• Protecting your children comes before friendship - at the end of the day, you are paying this woman to look after your kids and provide a safe and secure environment. She has definitely let you down in that respect... intentionally, or not. It doesn't really matter.
  It sounds to me as though she has too many children in her care to be able to do her job properly, and that would be my main concern.
  The fact that you are worried enough to post and ask for advice on the issue suggests that the trust is gone, and in that case I would prioritise finding another childcare option.
• The only real way to make sure your kids are looked after the way you wish is to look after your own kids.
• She very often just has 2 younger children who she takes in a double buggy.She has 2 young children of her own. She takes them out to the local park etc and will go out in the car when she has less children. I just feel stuck on what to do as all the local childminders around here seem to know each other but i do feel like I have lost trust in her.
• It doesn't matter if they all know each other. If you are looking for a place because she let your 6 year old play Grand Theft Auto, all decent childminders will be horrified and understand why you are moving them. And any childminder who isn't would be one you wouldn't want to leave your kids with anyway as they will be just the same!