‘Watching TV is the only wholesome family time we have most days’

Watching a show with my teenage sons is a happy retreat from reality, away from arguments, exams and the friction of daily life

A friend recently asked me whether her young children watched too much television. After briefly outlining the screen-time agreement hammered out with my own teenage sons – a document as complex and painfully negotiated as the Peace of Westphalia, its inception littered with deadlocks and walkouts – I explained that TV was exempt. “Watching TV is the only wholesome family time we have most days,” I said.

TV is how my family bond, but it turns out we’re swimming – well, slumping on the sofa – against the tide. The rise of on-demand and streaming services has apparently triggered the demise of cosy family viewing sessions: new Ofcom research released last week paints a picture of a nation binge-watching solo on tablets and laptops rather than gathering together to squabble over the remote control. Every day, 45% of us watch TV alone, while only 30% of us watch as a family. But over here in the 30%, television keeps us together: some days ours feels like a flat-screen family therapist.

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from Children | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2uxmK2p