Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

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:
sunflowerdaisyrose · 03/11/2022 00:00

I love friends and wouldn't let my 9 year old watch it. We do watch Young Sheldon (not Big Bang Theory) and High School Musical the Musical the series together. She knows what sex is and I feel she's old enough so it wouldn't go over her head but the themes are too adult - and also the outdated bits she needs to be older to understand why it's not ok now and it's of it's time.

Wombat100 · 03/11/2022 00:00

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?

I wouldn’t personally give an 8 year old access to Snapchat and TikTok either to be fair but I know so many kids of that age who have been set up with accounts by their parents.

JanglyBeads · 03/11/2022 00:00

@Wombat100 , there may, sadly, be a few kids who've seen porn at that age.

If your kids come home asking questions about it, or perhaps, very confused and disturbed by what they might have been told, do you just say "Oh that's what Joey and Chandler watch all the time, don't worry!" (Can't remember what the actual references are.)

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

7 year olds 8 year olds TV
purpleme12 · 03/11/2022 00:01

Wombat100 · 02/11/2022 23:55

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).

Show quote history

My child doesn't watch Friends and has no access to Snapchat,tiktok, Roblox and doesn't have a phone

sunflowerdaisyrose · 03/11/2022 00:01

Mine do play Roblox (I check which games) but no way would my 9 year old have access to TikTok or Snapchat!

Dollydea · 03/11/2022 00:08

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.

I think a lot of it is down to fashion trends.

90's subculture is the new 80's, DD has a friends t shirt, she's 12, she's never even seen an episode, she just wants to fit in and wear what her mates do.

I remember having a Frankie says relax t shirt in the 00's, I had and still have no idea who Frankie is.

LittleBearPad · 03/11/2022 00:15

Dollydea · 03/11/2022 00:08

I think a lot of it is down to fashion trends.

90's subculture is the new 80's, DD has a friends t shirt, she's 12, she's never even seen an episode, she just wants to fit in and wear what her mates do.

I remember having a Frankie says relax t shirt in the 00's, I had and still have no idea who Frankie is.

Show quote history

Enjoy @Dollydea

inappropriateraspberry · 03/11/2022 00:31

I think it's aimed at the parents of the children. They remember Friends and so think it is 'cute' for their daughter to wear a jumper with it on. The kid is probably oblivious.
Agree it's completely inappropriate for 7-10 year olds. And hasn't aged well really.

inappropriateraspberry · 03/11/2022 00:32

And my 7 year old has no access to social media and definitely is t talking about porn in the playground!

BobbyBobbyBobby · 03/11/2022 00:51

Themes not suitable for children -

www.buzzfeed.com/amphtml/spenceralthouse/problematic-friends-tv-show-moments

JanglyBeads · 03/11/2022 00:53

Friends has become very popular amongst young to mid teens, probably via Netflix. And then it's "leaked" down the age ranges, apparently....

Original poster
Ginny1987 · 03/11/2022 01:06

Thank god for these replies. I honestly thought I was losing my mind at the start of this thread 😳

OP posts:
BobbyBobbyBobby · 03/11/2022 01:13

Ginny1987 · 03/11/2022 01:06

Thank god for these replies. I honestly thought I was losing my mind at the start of this thread 😳

It’s annoying when other parents are allowing their children to watch inappropriate things and you have the morals to say no to your child which makes you look the big meanie in their eyes.

Stay strong, you are raising your daughter well.

BobbyBobbyBobby · 03/11/2022 01:19

No 7 year old should be watching this crap -

MrsDeWinter · 03/11/2022 01:36

With no watershed now due to streaming some kids just watch anything they like as its freely available.
As children/young teens we were always sent upstairs before 9pm.

Also some parents just don't want to share their TV time and let their children watch along with whatever they are

Or kids with unsupervised access to smart devices can watch whatever they want.

We have family members who have been watching unsuitable material from a young age and it shows. They blurt out the most ridiculous things in front of people in inappropriate times, as they've seen it on TV but have no cognitive ability yet to recognise what they are actually saying. It's caused rows in the family and I've just had to take a step back and say these aren't my children but it really isn't the way they should be growing up exposed to anything they sew flicking Netflix (friends would be a delight compared to the things I know they've seen)

So, yes I agree it's weird and I think horrible that we/our are being marketed to for things that are way above their suitability...and then went off on a slight rant.

But it does seem to go in shops like primark etc, Peppa, Frozen, Marvel, Friends, stranger things etc
For Children who in the best side of life should be oblivious to the last 2.

Oaktree1952 · 03/11/2022 03:59

Just read on a previous post that someone thinks their primary aged children are having access to or talking about porn on the playground if this is the case then that is a huge safeguarding concern and needs reporting to the school. I certainly would be very concerned if I thought my children were being exposed to that sort of talk in a primary playground.

The school would also consider access to Snapchat and TikTok before the age of 13 a concern and would want to do some work with children and parents about safe use of social media.

UnadulteratedCat · 03/11/2022 04:06

I saw a baby vest with “how you doin’ ?” written in the front.

A sexual proposition on a baby vest. Ffs

purpleme12 · 03/11/2022 07:57

I know I think it's strange that a PP said people know about porn/have seen porn at 9 in the playground
Mine has not and I'm sure it's not the norm!

Original poster
Ginny1987 · 03/11/2022 08:01

Oaktree1952 · 03/11/2022 03:59

Just read on a previous post that someone thinks their primary aged children are having access to or talking about porn on the playground if this is the case then that is a huge safeguarding concern and needs reporting to the school. I certainly would be very concerned if I thought my children were being exposed to that sort of talk in a primary playground.

The school would also consider access to Snapchat and TikTok before the age of 13 a concern and would want to do some work with children and parents about safe use of social media.

All of this. I honestly don’t think my eight year old is hearing about or discussing porn at school. That’s not normal surely.

OP posts:
OohMrBingley · 03/11/2022 08:09

YANBU at all. Friends is completely unsuitable for an 8YO.

I absolutely love Friends, and only recently relented and let 13YO DS and 12YO DD watch it - but I know it like the back of my hand and fast-forwarded certain scenes, and even skipped entire episodes (The One With The Free Porn, The One With The Sharks, etc).

Some people don’t have their kids’ best interests at heart.

P.S who the hell lets their 8YO have Snapchat or TikTok? Who the hell lets their 8YO have a phone?!

TheLateLadyLothbrook · 03/11/2022 08:23

Yanbu. Every second line is a sexual innuendo.

purpleme12 · 03/11/2022 08:30

@OohMrBingley I know a fair few that young with phones.

bookworm14 · 03/11/2022 08:31

YANBU at all, and I’m astonished anyone thinks otherwise. Quite apart from all the sex references, what would a seven year old even enjoy about Friends? My seven year old likes Harry Potter and silly cartoons on Netflix!

AliceMcK · 03/11/2022 09:09

Agree, I’ve deliberately avoided buying anything friends related. My DDs seem to know what it is and 10yo has been asking to watch it. To be fair I have let her watch some of TBBT, but only when I’m there and in control of the remote so I can move on if I know something to explicate is coming up. She’s at an age where she needs to learn about sex, but I think friends is a little too mature and outdated in its storylines though:

Porn Channel
Shark Porn
Ursulas porn career
Ursula and phoebes toxic relationship
7 hot spots
Suicide
Using sex to be forgiven
Giving babies away
fat storylines - you can only be good looking if your thin ( Monica, Brad Pitt), good looking naked guy turns into ugly fat naked guy they mock
Objectification of women
Consent issues, think Ross making out with what he though was a passed out Rachel.
Ross’s constant jealousy
Mocking Gay and trans

I’m saying this as someone who loves friends, watched in 100s of times but it’s very much of it’s time and I don’t think it’s aged well and suitable for young people who are learning how the world and relationships work in todays world.