The one where…. My child ruins Friends for me 

parenting, ,

One thing I love about the teens getting older is being able to introduce them to TV shows and movies and books that I used to love when I was their ages. It’s so nice now they’re older to make the tv snacks, get on the sofa and watch something together.

Some of my shows and movies are more successful than others. Dawson’s Creek was ridiculed and heckled throughout, much to my dismay.

Friends though. Friends was welcomed with open arms. We went through every series. We began recording the actual programmes we would have ordinarily watched on tv as they just wanted to watch ‘one more episode’ of Friends.

I was smug.

Told you it was good eh?

“Hey! How you doing? ” became the eldests greeting as he got in of an evening. .. to his brother! To himself even! Inappropriate yet really quite funny.

” I’m FINE! “a la Ross when Rachel and Joey are together became code for anything that was clearly anything but.

Smelly cat was sung out loud.

” could I BE wearing anymore clothes ” became the answer to my insistence they wrap up warm to go to the football.

All was good.

I was cool mum.

I am the best.

Then it happened.

We’re rewatching some Friends more recently (yes they loved it THAT much) we’re at a later series, close to the end and my 15yo youngest son spoils it all.

Youngest son : Mum I’m surprised you wanted Ross and Rachel to end up together.

Me: Why? You know I’m a sucker for a love story!

Youngest son : love? Is it though? That whole relationship is just toxic. Ross is too controlling.

I am stunned into silence at this point.

That’s OK though because he’s going to elaborate.. .

Elaborate he does. .

How unsupportive Ross is when Rachel lands her dream job.

The suffocating manner in which he behaves about Mark. Becoming a stalky control freak creepfest.

How he never takes responsibility for cheating, using the “we were on a break” excuse.

I couldn’t disagree with any of it.

I mean Ross was never my favourite – he’s a sexist idiot. Remember the fuss he made about Ben playing with a doll? How he mocked and sacked the male nanny? ?

So the lesson learned here is this-beware of sharing your old favourites with your children, they they might just spoil it.

40 thoughts on “The one where…. My child ruins Friends for me ”

  1. Ok. So he totally broke Friends but….how amazing that your 15 year old son is such a sensitive and well rounded lad that he can recognise it as negative behaviour and will go forth and treat his future partners in a better way?! You’ve got to be super proud, you have bought up a wonderful young man there ☺ even if he is a Hull fan 😉

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    1. Hmmmm yeah he’s forgiven for now… But he’s banned from all my favourite things forever now!!
      The Hull thing will end in tears… Always does.. We never learn!! X

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  4. Wow what a lovely boy your son sounds for noticing that behaviour! I dont think i really gave that a thought bless him. I need to make sure my boys dont watch “murder she wrote’, ‘Baywatch’ ‘charmed’ and any other naff shows I used to love during my young years. Nicky x #Blogstravaganza

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  5. Noooo … I will be committing your hard learned lesson to memory and will never share Friends with my girls! I couldn’t bare it if they tore it to shreds. The horror!
    #blogstravaganza

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  8. I can totally relate. I have introduced my daughter to Gilmore Girls which is one of my favourite all time tv shows. Now she is addicted! I catch her saying things like that is SO Lorelai or that is SO Rory! She thinks we are them. Total dream come true. Now if I could only find a real life Stars Hollow!

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    1. Ooo Gilmore Girls is on my must watch list, but not gotten around to it yet!! Sounds like it’s worth a watch!

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  10. The Tubblet also found Friends recently and loved it, but hasn’t made any comments about the characters. Good that your son has identified some of Ross’ weaknesses as a potential partner. 🙂 I hadn’t thought of it that way at all, but he’s right!

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  11. Gosh, am a die-hard Friends fan here and cannot wait to start sharing my love for it with my teen when she becomes one but your son is so right! I mean I love the happy ending and everything but he’s right! Ross IS all those things. Dang it! Why do kids have to be on the money here?

    Oh and those snippets of them imitating the dialogues is too funny! We do that even now, my sis and I. Ahem.

    #TweensTeensBeyond

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  12. I love Friends! I think I know most every episode by heart! So much so, that I co-hosted a babyshower for another friend who is also as crazy as I am!
    It’s pretty cool though that your son picked up on Ross’s character like that. Not many teens could do that.

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  14. It’s so long since I watched Friends and you have reminded just how great it is. I may have to revisit it. I think it is wonderful that your son is so astute and gets that Ross’ treatment of Rachel is poor. It says a lot about him. My teens are frequently spoiling my favourite series’ with their observations and comments and it is so annoying! #TweensTeensBeyond

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  15. Hmm, well when you put it like that! I’d never seen Ross in that light before but you’re right, although I seem to remember I didn’t think he was good enough for Rachel and I didn’t want them to end up together. It’s the series Lost in our house – smug mum. #tweensteensbeyond

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  16. Good for him for picking up on those points. Some shows seem to age better than others. My wife still likes King of Queens reruns and I can’t stand it. I’ll still stop and watch Seinfeld whenever i come across it though. I recently introduced our teen to old movies, Sixteen Candles and such. She’s now obsessed with The Outsiders #teenstweensbeyond

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    1. Yes definitely sometimes I put stuff on telling them it’s a must watch and then finding it a total disappointment!

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  19. Oh no I had never thought of it like that but you’re right! And he could be really annoying with his habits too. I still love that show though, amazing how it is still so fun to watch even though it started way back in the 90s. I could watch all eps again and again! #honeybeelinky

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  20. Oh. My. God. Mind blown! I just get caught up in the humour when I watch friends… but your teenager is right, it was a toxic relationship! Oh the horror. Don’t let them watch Ally McBeal!haha! Thank you for joining in with the #HoneybeeLinky lovely! Xxx

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  22. I loved Friends so much, I watched all the episodes so many times but he’s absolutely right. Also, I hate to ruin it more but Joey (my one true love of my teens/early 20s) is actually just a creepy guy who sleazes onto loads of women and sleeps with anyone who’s willing. Imagine the diseases he’s been exposed to!
    (sorry)

    #BlogCrush

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  26. Ahhh … I remember this post now. Ross was funny, but certainly not my type of husband. Your son hit the nail on the head! But #itsok cos I will still watch Friends again. And again. And again. And again.

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