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Original poster

Why is Friends merchandise aimed at 7 year olds these days??

98 replies

Ginny1987 · 02/11/2022 23:24

Who is letting their seven year old watch Friends?! I have an eight year old clamouring to watch it because her pals are all wearing the T-shirts, pjs etc. It won’t be allowed. It just seems strange and unnecessary.

OP posts:
JamSandle · 02/11/2022 23:29

Why wouldn't they watch Friends? I'm confused.

FuckNuggets · 02/11/2022 23:30

My kids grew up watching Friends. Why wouldn't they?

Original poster
Ginny1987 · 02/11/2022 23:31

Hey I loved friends growing up. But it’s not suitable for a seven year old surely?!

OP posts:

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

7 year olds 8 year olds TV
Wombat100 · 02/11/2022 23:32

What’s wrong with friends? There’s no swearing, no nudity (only very mild “sex scenes” if you can call them that as you don’t actually see or hear anything?) and no violence? I don’t see the problem with an 8 year old watching it.

I’m sure your kid sees and hears far worse in the playgrounds!

You need to lighten up a little.

Original poster
Ginny1987 · 02/11/2022 23:34

Really? Like the free porn episode? Strippers? There’s a lot of talk about sex.

I don’t really consider myself as particularly uptight about this stuff but I’m really surprised at the responses tbh. Maybe I’ll go back and watch.

OP posts:
JanglyBeads · 02/11/2022 23:36

I completely agree OP.

You think 7 year olds should be watching a programme that includes discussion and joking about pornography, PPs?

Really??

Lovemelovemydoggie · 02/11/2022 23:36

I wouldn’t let my 9 year old watch Friends, it’s far too old for them.

Borris · 02/11/2022 23:38

Agree OP. I watch some with my 12 year old but some of it is sex obsessed and some attitudes in it very outdated. We skipped one today when Monica was being made to feel bad for her "number" (of ex partners)

Original poster
Ginny1987 · 02/11/2022 23:39

The one with the seven “zones”?

OP posts:
Original poster
Ginny1987 · 02/11/2022 23:40

Suicide?

OP posts:
Wombat100 · 02/11/2022 23:41

Ginny1987 · 02/11/2022 23:34

Really? Like the free porn episode? Strippers? There’s a lot of talk about sex.

I don’t really consider myself as particularly uptight about this stuff but I’m really surprised at the responses tbh. Maybe I’ll go back and watch.

They won’t see any porn or strippers or see sex though? I think it’s extremely mild to be honest.

At the age of 8 she will more than likely (unfortunately- I’m not saying I agree with it) have heard about sex and porn etc from all the kids in her school who have access to tik tok and Snapchat etc. I really wouldn’t worry about letting her watch Friends. Each to their own though :)

purpleme12 · 02/11/2022 23:46

I don't let mine watch it either OP. I agree with you about it all.
They're rated 12 for a reason.
I'd love to get mine Friends clothes (because I love Friends 😂) but she's 9 so not yet!

majorcamaiden · 02/11/2022 23:47

I've wondered this too. Seen the children's merchandise and wondered what 7-10yr old would want to watch friends. What happened to children's TV shows that feature children / teens / families with children nearer their own age?? Wouldn't they rather watch that?

Original poster
Ginny1987 · 02/11/2022 23:48

Lots of parents in such a hurry for their kids to grow up.

OP posts:
JanglyBeads · 02/11/2022 23:49

@Wombat100 if you don't agree with porn being discussed in the playground then why do you allow your child to watch a show which references (and trivialises) it?

Beachhutnut · 02/11/2022 23:50

I won't let my 11 year old watch it. Fighting over the last condom? Not appropriate imo.

ImustLearn2Cook · 02/11/2022 23:51

Friends is rated PG while Young Sheldon is rated M here in Australia. I think it should be the other way around to be honest.

For Friends, Common Sense Media says: parents say 13+ , kids say 12+.

So, I don’t think yabu.

My thoughts when I see Friends merchandise is why are they putting out so much merchandise aimed at young people when the show was popular so many years ago? I would think that most people who watch it now loved it back in the day.

My 8 year old has seen me watch it occasionally but has not shown any interest and I don’t think any of her friends watch it either.

ILoveMyCat8 · 02/11/2022 23:52

Yeah I don’t get the huge surge of friends clothing either. I don’t know where it came from. Perhaps the license to use it has gone cheap? But why such young kids?

BobbyBobbyBobby · 02/11/2022 23:52

My daughter started watching it as a teenager. I think it’s a pile of crap and completely unfunny.

The marketing of the logo and their image at young children is pure greed. The show is about adults with adult themes and dysfunctional relationships so I completely agree with you that it’s unsuitable.

Circa mid to late 90s, the Playboy Bunny image was fashionable and my then partner and his ex wife allowed their ten year old daughter to have a Playboy themed Birthday party and the girls all wore white leotards with a fur Pom Pom attached to the bottom and rabbit ears on a headband.

I did not allow my children to attend.

Original poster
Ginny1987 · 02/11/2022 23:54

I remember the playboy bunny stuff and wondering why my mum didn’t allow it. I understand now!

i actually don’t think my 8 year old would really “get” friends.

OP posts:
majorcamaiden · 02/11/2022 23:54

Also must say that I'm pleasantly surprised at the number of replies from parents saying they wouldn't allow their children to watch it. I was recently slated on another thread because I didn't think it was acceptable for my 11yr / 12yr and his friends to be watching Squid Games and the Jeffrey Dhalmer serial killer series on Netflix. I was shocked at the number of responders that didn't see an issue with their own young children watching such incredibly violent and sexual explicit scenes in a series.

Wombat100 · 02/11/2022 23:55

JanglyBeads · 02/11/2022 23:49

@Wombat100 if you don't agree with porn being discussed in the playground then why do you allow your child to watch a show which references (and trivialises) it?

Because kids in the playground are talking about porn they’ve literally seen with their own eyes online.

You see no actual porn on Friends.

Like I said, each to their own. I don’t see a problem with letting an 8 year old watch Friends but ultimately each parent must do what they think is right for their child (although I’d be interested to know how many parents who wouldn’t let their kids watch Friends have given those same kids access to Snapchat/TikTok etc (and even Roblox to an extent, where there are sex chat rooms and rooms set up like orgy rooms apparently).

Original poster
Ginny1987 · 02/11/2022 23:58

My eight year old doesn’t have access to tiktok, Snapchat or Roblox. I’m not aware that her pals do either. They don’t have phones or anything?

OP posts:
Borris · 02/11/2022 23:58

I've only just let dd start watching at aged 12 and as I said before, we watch together. She hasn't got access to TikTok etc. Yes she may have seen and heard things at school (I think not much as was a tiny primary school) but I'm still not going to encourage it at home. Also I wouldn't dream of squid games or murder documentaries for her either.

Chattycathydoll · 02/11/2022 23:59

I clamoured to watch it age 12 as all my friends were, I was allowed to stay up specially to watch it. A lot of the jokes felt embarrassing because it was so sex-focussed but I pretended to enjoy it, actually liked it closer to 14. I won’t be letting DD watch it until the same age. Sex but also mild homophobia, fat jokes, I’d rather that wasn’t normalised when she’s barely done watching Sarah and Duck.