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 !

Thank goodness this wasn't a 'thing' when my kids were young of they'd be dressed as the Two Ronnies !!

I would class Friends as an adult programme and I don't understand why it is on during the day. I have watched it once with my 9yr old but ended up turning it over as there are constant references to sex.

Like everything else these days, kids grow up too quickly and by selling Friends branded clothing for kids this is normalising a programme which is totally inappropriate for children.

When we watched it first time round most of us didn't have kids so probably weren't aware that it wasn't a kids programme

Just to add Sex and the City was on about 6:30 today as well !

My 7 year old has seen the odd clip of it when I have been watching it when he has been playing or in the other room and then come in. Not enough of it to be into it.

With the Star Wars, my son has been obsessed with Star Wars since he was 3 because of the Lego Star Wars shows and he just liked the figures at a young age. The actual films have never kept his interest, he likes the lightsaber fights and that’s it.

I thought I was seeing things in Asda the other day with an aged 5-6 Friends top I mean it's not the bluest programme going but there's a lot of mention of sex, shit ton on misogyny and homophobia so I don't really know what an 8yo would get out of watching it.

DH and I have been rewatching Friends recently and I've found myself thinking how inappropriate it is for kids - so many references to sex, porn etc. I heard a group of 8-9 year olds discussing how great it is when I picked DD up from school last week, and our friends' 10 year old has been watching it for a good couple of years. We don't let DD watch it.

It was awful then, worse now

Where are you seeing these clothes? I've seen teens wearing them and then in the 12-13 and teen ages, but surely not any younger. It is a 12 rated programme and not appropriate for younger imo. My 13 year old does like it (has only watched a bit) but I did explain to her first that there are a lot of dated sexist and homophobic jokes.

A pp is spot on about Marvel. It is almost a uniform for young boys but the film's aren't appropriate for primary age. There is very little Marvel that isn't violent and for over 12's.

I've seen loads of really young kids in Tik-Tok and Fortnight Hoodies too.

@PenguinErector I feel sorry for your daughter. As a parent, you should parent. Not let her watch anything that ‘catches her interest’ for goodness sake! Not realising is not an excuse for enabling her to view these things, either alone in her room or with you.

Did wanted to see what it was about when she was perhaps 10. Knowing her personality, I was sure she would find it boring, so I showed her an episode. It had me cringing and dd hated it yet didn’t understand it thank goodness. So inappropriate imo yet a couple of her friends loved it.

IIRC there's an episode where Chandler and Joey don't leave their chairs for days they just sit watching porn (is that really a group activity?!). So inappropriate for little ones.

There’s a mum at my DC’s school who dresses her daughter in the same thing she wears, which is an oversized friends hoodie over really tight bike tights. The whole outfit is terrible on an adult and even worse on the little girl. This little girl is 4.

[quote Spanielmadness]@PenguinErector I feel sorry for your daughter. As a parent, you should parent. Not let her watch anything that ‘catches her interest’ for goodness sake! Not realising is not an excuse for enabling her to view these things, either alone in her room or with you.[/quote]
Give over.

Friends is dated and not for children. Just seems to be cheap repeats.

Though I saw Helen Baxendale in a play a couple of years ago and she does not look a day older.

My dc (7) quite likes it. Also loves Outnumbered and various other sitcoms.
I think (marketing stuff aside with friends) that children sometimes like sitting with a parent whose relaxed and laughing. You know like the sort of stuff that happy childhood memories are made of.

I’ve shown my kids the odd clip of Friends, carefully chosen. But it’s very difficult to find a entire episode they could watch, so many references to sex and porn. It’s def not a kids programme.

I think i can see the appeal for a 7 year old. They don't get the story lines really but at that age they seem to be obsessed with the excitement of the older girl being dressed up and glam, maybe getting a boyfriend. My 8 year old doesn't watch it but she'd bloody LOVE it.

Didn't we all love the thought of watching something that was for older people growing up? I used to be thrilled to catch snippets of crime watch through the crack in the door when my mum thought i was in bed

I am particularly entertained by youngsters wearing tiny Ramones and AC/DC t-shirts. Obviously they are massive fans at the age of seven, and it's not that their parents think it's somehow edgy to dress them like that .

Lots of the 10 and 11 year old in my class watch it, and have tshirts and hoodies. I think TheFuckingDogs is right, some will be watching it with a parent who is happy and relaxed (enjoying memories if thr first time round!), and also, that age group love to "get" an adult joke, it makes them feel clever and grown up! And I don't think the jokes in friends are particularly harmful- everyone helps and supports one another, forgives peoples mistakes, and for example, when Joey and Chandler watch porn all day the others laugh and look down on them for it.

It’s a brand. Like The Rolling Stones t-shirts you can buy for a two year old, or Adidas trainers for newborns. Parents buy the clothes they like. Nothing to do with the kid’s viewing choices.

I wouldn’t let my nine year old watch it - but she loves the Friends clothes, but she doesn’t realise it’s a TV programme! She thinks it’s about celebrating your friends!

I’ve seen some kids’ Friends stuff in M&S! I’m 35 and it started with I was 9 so whilst I’ve since seen them all, even I wasn’t ‘peak’ Friends era. I remember my Y6 teacher talking about it with another teacher at school

It's totally inappropriate viewing for anyone under 16. 18 even?

I have a 13yo who quite likes it, but can only watch when younger sibling is not around. I have seen Friends clothes marketed at the 12-14yo demographic, but not younger i think. I agree that the show is a bit outdated with dodgy themes. I saw a pair of PJs the other day which were the exact cut that my 13yo would like, but they had 'How you doin?' across the front, which is really inapropriate for that age.

I think 6 is way too early, cannot believe they understand anything that is going on.

From my experience, let them watch it when you’re happy to start getting questions like

‘Mum, what is a condom?’
‘Mum, what is a prostitute/stripper?’