Editorial

How to make TV time family-friendly

PublishedAugust 13, 2021

Television has become a popular family entertainment option more than ever, especially, because more families own a set. TV plays an important role as an evening pass-time activity before everyone breaks for bed.

Therefore, it is important to make sure that everyone can enjoy the watching experience through the following tips:

Go for humour

Most people, old or young resonate with funny content. Therefore, pick a movie that will have the entire family clutching their stomachs. Movies with comedy are a great way to add to your family’s smiles and joy.

The advantage of watching comedy together as a family is that it lightens the atmosphere and make it easy to address sensitives topics like sexuality, money and misunderstandings. Also, comedy is a great way to unwind after a long day.

Photo by Hans Eiskonen / Unsplash

Choose movies with simple language

It is important to go for movies that everyone will enjoy. Just like books, movies with a lot of vocabulary tend to lose viewers. Therefore, a part of making sure that everyone enjoys the movie includes going for movies with simple language.

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Timing

Choose a time that does not inconvenience any other activities of the family. For example, ensure that the time you choose to watch TV does not disrupt the disrupt sleep patterns for school-going children. Most families pick a Saturday or Sunday afternoon.

Do not forget to consider parents. Most of their time is spent taking care of everyone else. Therefore, choose a time when they are less busy so that they are included too.

Away with nudity

You should keep away from the awkwardness that comes with watching a sex scene in the presence of children. This is usually followed up by an even more awkward question about what is happening in the scene.

To avoid this, the person picking the movies should screen the movies beforehand or read reviews made by people who have watched the movie.

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Make it cosy

Get a fleece to cover your feet with. The body’s metabolic rate tends to drop when you are inactive. Therefore, you are likely to feel cold while enjoying your movie. Remedy this with a hot cup of tea which will get you standing up to go empty your bladder every other minute. You can also get a warm blanket to cover your feet.

Blankets come in handy, especially for children whose small bodies lose heat very fast. Choosing a movie that thrills is a good remedy too because it gets the body working hard to imitate the emotions of the actors in the movie.

Photo by Tim-Oliver Metz / Unsplash

Fix a light snack

There is a reason why people nibble on popcorn while watching. Research has shown that eating and watching releases the feel-good hormone dopamime which makes the watching experience all the more enjoyable and fulfilling.

Therefore, making sure your family is enjoying something sweet or savoury as they watch their movie will add to the overall feeling of gladness.

This August, Parents Magazine presents yet another compelling issue!

On this issue, LSK chairperson Nelson Havi and his wife Felicine let us in to the home front and open up on life in the public eye among other stories that you don’t want to miss.