We still gather around the fire to listen to stories – only now it’s our TVs that provide the moments of connection, memories and bonding.
Gathering around the fire to share and listen to stories was once our main source of connection and community. Our modern, fast-paced lives may have moved on from fireside storytelling, but spending time together in the living room to enjoy the latest TV drama, blockbuster movie or sports match has become the modern-day equivalent.
Perhaps you look forward to escaping into another world after a long day by enjoying an episode of Stranger Things with your partner, or you love nothing better than inviting your children and grandchildren over for dinner and a cosy movie night. If you have teenagers you may find enjoying a show you both love together creates a much-needed opportunity for connection and laughter.
It’s something that a mum like Tracy Round-Turner, 53, says is an important way of staying connected to her teenage daughter and son. “We all have our bonding times in pairs. Me and my daughter love watching Dance Moms, but my husband and son refuse to be in the room when it’s on so we have to find our time carefully,” she says. “My teenage son and I love watching Squid Game together. There’s something nice about doing it in pairs.
“Since the latest series of Squid Game was released, my son has been coming to me everyday asking when we can watch it. It feels good to know that he does actually want to spend time with me, even if it is to watch TV.”
Likewise, Sara George, 54, says that while everyone in her family has polar opposite tastes in TV and film, there are small overlaps of common ground which create moments of connection. “I recently enjoyed watching The Residence with my 17-year-old daughter. But even if we watch things separately, we enjoy talking about them together the next day,” she explains. “So TV definitely helps us bond on certain topics.”
What brings the whole family together? “We’ve always watched the Paddington movies as a family, and even my cynical 16-year-old son says that Paddington 2 is ‘cinema genius’,” Ms George says, laughing.
Moira O’Neill, a 66-year-old grandmother, finds that one of her favourite ways of spending time with her granddaughters, aged nine and 11, is gathering to watch something on the TV that they all love and find funny. “We’re currently watching the latest series of Shaun The Sheep,” she says. “We all enjoy it and it makes us laugh. It also reduces arguments about what to watch so it’s a nice way to instill some calm in the home.”
Of course, finding something that everyone in your family can bond over can be a challenge – especially if you don’t have access to multiple entertainment platforms. EE TV’s platform helps to facilitate these connections far more easily with its flexible entertainment offering. Whether you’re after Netflix, discovery+ or Sky Sports, you can access a host of popular streaming platforms and sports channels while keeping on top of your subscriptions in one place.
Fancy watching that latest series everyone is talking about this month – but want to catch the start of the football season the next? No problem. Simply switch your package from entertainment to sports. If you want both sports and entertainment, just add it instead. Plus, if you’re already subscribed to a platform, but want to make things more streamlined, there’s no need to cancel. EE TV will move your billing over for you so you have everything in one place.
So, whether you want to enjoy a gripping new drama with your partner, or get the whole family over for a big movie night or football match, EE TV can help you make it a summer full of great memories and moments of connection.
Create an entertainment package that suits your whole family this summer with EE TV
Visit telegraph.co.uk/smartlife for more about EE. There’s loads of smart advice, from setting up parental controls and keeping your kids safe online to making sure you never run out of data when you need it most.