To kick DH off 'his' TV and watch it?

[PrincessOfPreschool]

DH watches a lot of TV and loves it. For his 50th he bought himself a nice, big TV with money given by family and some work vouchers. We only have the one TV in the house though we do have lap tops/ PC's/ phones where we can access Netflix, Prime etc.

DD and I have been watching Bakeoff and kicking him off the TV for one hour on a Tuesday to watch it together. He is always a bit grumbly and makes us feel bad. But it is the only time we do this so I try not to feel guilty. He just sits there on his phone for the full hour until it's over then takes the TV back.

Anyway, tonight he was out so DD and I watched a film and then Strictly together and it felt so nice to sit in the living room on the sofa and watch something. I realised I don't really like watching things on my mobile in bed but that is what I tend to do when I get time.

So AIBU to watch more on 'his' TV, which just happens to be in the living room? We don't really like watching anything similar. He watches sport, films and reality TV like BGT or quiz shows. I don't like the same sorts of films or reality TV (only Bakeoff and Bee) and prefer watching series. Basically he dislikes 'my' stuff and I dislike his. Occasionally we watch something all together as a family but it's rare.

So, AIBU to insist on watching 'my' stuff since it's his TV? Or is he BU for begrudging me time to watch things in our living room?

He sounds shit. I feel very sorry for your dd and you.

Sorry but it isn't "his" TV if its in your shared family space. I'm quite shocked that any grown adult would think it's ok to take over a communal space in the home with their TV preferences, whilst everyone else has to look at their phones.

Is he this selfish in other areas too?

A TV in the lounge is a ‘family’ TV and for everyone’s use
If he wants to be master of the remote then ‘his’ TV should be in a spare room, man cave, shed etc

If he doesn't want to share it then he needs to move it to an alternative space, because a lounge is a shared room. What did you do in terms of TV before he bought this one?

Like a PP I presumed “his tv” would be in a separate space, and not the only tv in the house. Of course a tv in the living room is something shared. The fact that he thinks it is his to control in the family living space (assuming you don’t have multiple spaces) is weird and incredibly selfish.

I think there needs to be another TV purchased that goes in the livingroom and "his" new tv goes in a less family space such as the bedroom, where he can watch it to his hearts content.

Everyone in the household should be able to enjoy something that is in the main family room and he shouldn't get monopoly over that

Yeah he needs to find somewhere else to put his TV. The living room is a family room

If it’s his tv he can keep it in the garage and watch it there. The living room is only for shared family tvs. Ask him if you need to move his tv somewhere and buy a tv so you don’t feel like he gets in a sulk if you or your children have the absolute nerve to watch tv at home in your own living room.

He is a selfish prick but, you could do with a second tv as I doubt he will change.

We have some different preferences in our house, we like different sports, different film genres but thankfully similar tv series. It is not unusual for DH to go into the other room to watch the rugby or some shit sci fi film whilst the kids and I watch something else. It would be depressing if it was all the time but it definitely suits us sometimes.

He sounds awful

Before he bought one, he was still the main 'watcher' but I think I didn't feel so bad chucking him off every so often as it was just the family TV. I think he watched less too as it was in an open plan space, very noisy, bad lighting etc. With some minor renovations, we switched with the dining room and the TV is now in a nice, quiet room, great lighting. Also, kids were younger, we watched more together. I think we've now fallen into this 'routine' where the TV and living room are 'his' space and we are welcome to join him there. He does share on the rare occasion someone wants to watch, but I feel he is a bit annoyed about it, or feels like he's doing us a favour - when actually, as so many of you have pointed out, it's a family space. I only realised the freedom I felt tonight when he wasn't there and DD and I could sit down and enjoy it 'guilt' free, without him hovering and waiting for us to finish.

Oh dear. He sounds unpleasant. It's your family lounge and family tv. And how much tv is he watching every day that you can't getting to use it?

This is awful. My DH got a posh telly for his big birthday, he would never behave like that (mainly because I would divorce him if he did & buy my own fuck off telly).

What a horrible man. My ex used to do this and I hated it. He did a lot worse than this too, but I remember how it felt to be a captive audience to TV programmes I really disliked. So I had to be in the room while the TV was on, or go and sit upstairs on the bed.

How much TV? A lot. He works pretty hard, we eat together as a family and he does the washing up. But other than that, he watches TV. He starts work early (mostly from home) so he's often watching from 5.30pm to 10.30pm/11.00pm and then about half of Sat and Sun.

Sorry, quoted wrong person there! Was replying to person asking how much he watches...

Your "D"H is an arsehole.

Yes he is.
Is there another room you could put a decent tv in downstairs, for you and your dd ?
That’s if you want to stay with the said ars*hole.

He sounds really unpleasant.

Are you financially in a position to buy another TV? You can get them fairly cheaply. I mean he sounds horrible but unless you are going to leave him, I'd be looking to set up an alternative place for you and DD to comfortably watch what you want.

He's a selfish prick.

How much parenting has he done over the years?

Is he happy in life? Sounds a bit depressing just watching tv all the time in his free time.

I can't imagining someone 'owning' the main TV and having to throw each other off it to watch a program. If it's in a shared space, surely it's for everyone and you have a normal conversation about who wants to watch what?! If he wants his own special telly, he should have it in another room!

I think your H's massive TV would go perfectly in a bedsit and that is where he should be living. What a cunt!