AIBU not to understand the “ friends “ for kids hype.

[Whattheactual20201]

A lot of people recently saying how much their young kids ( 6-8) love watching friends. Lots of clothes for children appearing. I don’t understand it I mean I don’t allow mine to watch as I don’t think it’s appropriate and if the kids don’t get the inappropriate bits then what is funny about 6 adults lives if they actually have no idea what the funny bits mean 🤣🤷‍♀️

Sorry I am stressed and can’t sleep so a debate is always helpful haha !

[Bananaramapyjamas]

I was primary school age when it was on the first time around and I remember lots of the girls in my class had Friends pencil cases, and they’d chat about which one of them would be Rachel, Monica or Pheobe. So it’s not a new thing! Although I don’t think it’s appropriate at all for that age group, and I don’t think I was allowed to watch it. My mum hated me watching Byker Grove and that WAS aimed at kids.

[Goldenbear]

I've seen the clothes in Marks and Spencers- bizarre! My DD at 7 was still watching, 'Room on a Broom'!

[IncludeWomenInTheSequel]

I didn't get the Penny storyline of course, but I used to watch the sex scenes when my parents were out, haha!

[Bag4Lyf]

@IncludeWomenInTheSequel

When I was 10 I was obsessed with Dirty Dancing! Abortions and multiple sex scences...I seem to have turned out (almost) normal.

Friends is TAME compared to something like that!

Yes! I remember my friend’s older sister and her mates watching it every Saturday night - they’d have been about 10/11. They used to like trying to copy the dance moves, not sure what they knew about the other bits

[AryaStarkWolf]

My kids are older now but I couldn't imagine them having any interest at all in friends when they were that age, I wouldn't stop them watching but they really wouldn't have wanted to anyway

[Cheeseandwin5]

My 11year old watches it and whilst they wouldn't have it as a programme of choice, he doesn't mind if it is on and knows the faces of the characters.
Yes there are some pretty racy jokes on it but I think on the whole it is harmless. The adults are dressed in certain clothes but whenever there are kids on the show they are normally dressed age appropriately
I think much more worrying are the kids programmes where everyone seems to be living out their dreams ( whether its work or sport or academically) without putting any effort i or hard work in.
You also see kids behaving badly with no repercussions.

[IncludeWomenInTheSequel]

When I was 10 I was obsessed with Dirty Dancing! Abortions and multiple sex scences...I seem to have turned out (almost) normal.

Friends is TAME compared to something like that!

[coconuttyhead]

My DS likes Friends but I have to sift through the ones that are ok - never realised how many porn references there are! 6-8 year olds though? Don’t get that.

[RonObvious]

My son used to come downstairs when we were watching Friends, and we would sometimes let him watch (6yr old). There's a lot of slapstick in it, which he really appreciated. I probably would have drawn the line at the "Free Porn" episode though - there's a reason that one doesn't get repeated! Most of the humour goes over his head though, and that's fine too. I remember watching films like "Airplane" when I was a kid, and not getting most of it - but really enjoying the bits I did get. Mind you, watched that one recently - still love it, but you wouldn't get away with rather a lot of those jokes now!

[Givemeabreak88]

I’ve noticed this, and for the people asking primark is full of children’s (yes children’s) not teens “friends” clothing. I’ve seen 7/8 8/9 clothing when looking for my daughter, and yes I did find it really odd.

[scrappydappydoooooo]

With that said my daughter has seen pretty much every episode of E.R, Chicago Fire and The Goldberg's which probably aren't particularly appropriate either

The Goldbergs is family tv, made to be watched by children and adults together. Similar to shows like Family Ties or The Cosby Show (I know) when we were kids. There may have been topics we couldn't fully understand, but on the whole those topics were more alluded to, than directly spoken about, and then someone would do a silly dance or fall down the stairs and kids would just enjoy that.

Though, The Goldbergs, even for a show made in this day and age has some really dodgy messages. The two main teenage relationships involve a boy pursuing a girl who is utterly uninterested in him and repeatedly tells him she isn't interested. But he keeps on and on and on at her until he wears her down and she loves him back. Literally twice, with two couples on the same show. My son actually really enjoyed The Goldbergs but I stopped us watching it because that is not a message I want him taking in. There are plenty of dodgy episodes of Friends but at no point do we ever see a man harass an uninterested woman for years and years until she loves him.

[LockdownLump]

I let my nearly 12yo watch it as its a 12 on Netflix. I forgot how inappropriate some parts were. Porn is basically mentioned in every single episode as though it's just a part of every day life.

The 'gay' jokes.

It did spark discussion and I gotta say, we both love it, but, to quote Chandler, 'could it be anymore inappropriate for little kids'

[Pukkatea]

I watched Friends when I was 7-8, it was my favourite TV show as a kid and the most popular show in school, everyone watched it. There were a few jokes that flew over my head (the one where Chandler talks about Ross overinflating his girlfriend springs to mind) but I'd say I 'got' a decent chunk of it. We also acted out scenes from it in our primary school leavers assembly (one of which included one of the jokes we definitely didn't get).

[TheCrowsHaveEyes]

I understand marketing clothes to parents. What I don't understand is why there's a thread about Friends on here almost every month. There are so many shows to watch and yet, like clockwork, it pops up. I guess that speaks to its popularity and why there are kids' Friends' clothes and not Press Gang branded clothes or Buffy 'stylish yet affordable boots'.

[ArranBound]

More parents just acting like sheep and saying something that seems to be trendy. Their kids can't possibly understand Friends.

[TeddyDidIt]

My DD (just 10) has been asking to watch Friends for a while. I think I'd spend a lot of time trying to explain things though as she doesn't like to let things go over her head.

[Sewrainbow]

I've enjoyed watching it lately but it is SO dated and loads of inappropriate comments in it. I cringe if my kids walk in at some of them, I tend to watch it whilst cooking dinner on my own or with dh.

I suppose for 6 year olds it goes over their heads but my nearly 12 year old I wouldn't want watching it proper. Theres loads of porn references, homophobia and dodgy comments about women.

[IncludeWomenInTheSequel]

Tweens and teens are mostly still up at 9pm on a Friday night!

[Paddingtonthebear]

Wasn’t Friends aired on channel 4 at 9pm on a Friday night? It’s not a kids show 😂

[EwwDavid]

I was born in 85, so was about 9-10 when Friends became massive. I loved it, I watched it every week from the point it started. The more adult jokes completely flew over my head.

I think I liked it because as a kid, it appeared they all had the "perfect" adult life. Living with and hanging out with their best friends every day, having loads of fun, doing whatever they wanted. It's the ultimate fantasy adult life for children.

[Ploughingthrough]

I had no idea that such little kids were watching friends! Seems totally inappropriate, I cant even imagine them enjoying it much. My 8 year old just watched The Worst Witch series and is now watching Polly Pocket....even if she wanted to I wouldn't let her watch friends.

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

There was a reason why Friends was never on before the TV 'watershed' - quite a lot of it just isn't appropriate for tweens. Teens a different matter.

[Mynotsoperfectlittlefamily]

@PenguinErector. I'm with you my young child went through a stage where he adored Chicago Fire. I'm pretty sure that it's much more to do with the fact that fire fighters are amazing and cool and run into burning buildings. Made him want to be a colorectal surgeon and part time firefighter 🤣🤣🤣

[PrincessBuggerPants]

This is really interesting.

When I was about 11 I had a friend (same age) from a slightly more edgy family sneering at me that the only comedy I was allowed to watch was children's comedy, like Friends

[lazylinguist]

I would class Friends as an adult programme and I don't understand why it is on during the day.

I agree about Friends being for adults, but surely the 'being on during the day' is completely irrelevant these days, when programmes and content are available at any time on demand?