So, they say that having a television in your bedroom halves your sex life. (Am I allowed to say that on a “family friendly” blog? I mean, you all know I have three kids, right? And that even though I go to church every few weeks, I’m no virgin… I don’t think acknowledging that I have some semblance of a “sex life” is anything you haven’t already figured out. Right? So. I’m just going to go for it. Not that. Not right now, at least. By it, I mean writing about it. And by that it, I mean having a tv in the bedroom. Just so we’re clear.)
We had a television in our bedroom until we moved out of our apartment a few years ago. I once reveled in the freedom of putting a TV wherever I darn pleased, thank you very much, but it didn’t take long before I began to really appreciate the value of keeping that noisy distraction box out of the bedroom. This realization probably came to me around the time that my responsibilities began piling up along with the decibel level inside my house.
There are already so many distractions in the lives of a married couple with young kids that it is hard enough to even go to bed at the same time. And that’s not to mention the distractions in the bedroom when you finally get there. My husband and I are both attached to our smartphones from the moment we wake up to the moment our eyes start to droop. Dan even takes it beyond that, listening to podcasts through headphones long after drifting off to sleep. We’re so connected to everything — work texts, Twitter, Facebook, blogging, podcasts — that we isolate ourselves from one another.
Dan hates it when I ask him silly, probing questions like “What book are you reading right now?” It’s a personal quirk of his that he is working on, but he finds questions like that oppressive. But I ask those questions as a way to create small threads of connection between us. So much of our day is spent apart, and then when we’re together, we have our noses in screens or books*.
Needless to say, I was less than thrilled when I found my husband installing a small television screen in our bedroom again.
He set it up mainly to find a safe place to play non-child-friendly video games. I think too that it is a little sanctuary away from the craziness of his life. It is where he goes to unwind. But when he spends so much of his free time in that spot on his bed that he leaves bed for a break at the very moment that I choose to come to bed? It feels like the television is making it even harder to connect.
I don’t hate the bedroom tv, though. Not entirely. I don’t hate it when we watch a movie together after the kids go to bed. The bed certainly facilitates easy snuggling whilst movie watching. I don’t hate that Dan chooses to escape there now, to our shared space, instead of to his office like he did before he installed the tv. I don’t hate that, technically, I’m sure I could watch something from the comfort of my own bed although I do resent that the TV is installed on Dan’s side in a way that really doesn’t invite me to use it myself.
If we’re going to have a TV in our bedroom, I suppose we should choose to make it a tool for connecting instead of disconnecting. Since it is still appropriate to make resolutions, I would like to make it a goal to watch a movie, in bed, with my husband, once a month. It is a cheap date. And hey – maybe it might lead to more chilling**, not less.
Here’s the thing. I want to spread the Netflix and chill love around. Yes, I know what that means. Yes, I want to bring people closer together. {Giveaway Closed} So, I have a six-month Netflix membership to give away! To win you have to be in Canada and you have to comment below. {If you’re reading this on anything other than the original blog post, your comment won’t count. Please jump over to my blog to comment.} Comment below letting me know who you want to watch Netflix with and on Wednesday, February 10th, I’ll choose a winner.
(I’d love for you to click those share buttons and share this around too. Thanks, loves!) {Giveaway Closed}
*I think it is important to note here that technology is not the big bad bully here. I can picture people in my life who will read this and say “See? This is the problem with phones and all of your other technology.” But technology is the only way I am making money now. Technology is the way I have made countless wonderful friendships. Technology is how I met my husband. And, as you can see from my example, new technology is not the only solitary activity. Before we woke up and looked at our smartphones, we woke up and held a newspaper up to our faces.
**Dan didn’t know what “Netflix and chill” meant, which means my husband is officially out of touch. But when he found out, he had some suggestions for how I could research this blog post.
I am a member of the Netflix Stream Team and as such I have been compensated with a complimentary Netflix subscription and a few other perks. This month I was pumped to receive the year 3 welcome package which included an Apple TV that will make watching movies with my husband in our bedroom so much easier. I’m honoured to have been a StreamTeam member for the last three years. The stories and opinions are all my own and have not been bought.
I would like to watch Netflix with hubby although we never can decide what to watch.
I’d definitely love to watch Netfllix with my husband :) TV in the bedroom sounds like a good idea to me!!
Easy! My husband! Even though we don’t have kids, life is still just as busy. With me teaching full time (and lesson planning, and marking) and with David working full time AND teaching night classes AND renovating our house…it gets hard to connect and make sure we’re spending time together.
Another great contest, Laura. We’ve been taking about getting Netflix and this would give us a chance to check it out
Twizzlers in bed with the husband and a movie sounds like pretty much the perfect night to me!
I love ending the day with David by watching show we love and talking plot and characters. It’s a great way to connect after being apart and separately busy all day. It’s part of our routine, and I miss it when it’s different.
Kim recently posted..I Can’t Stay Awake for Family Movie Night
Probably just drama shows.
I would love to watch it with my hubby. Life gets busy and it is nice to reconnect, even if it is just snuggling watching the tv!
I’d watch Netflix with my family!
I would watch TV with my sweetie. Although I’ve never had a TV in the bedroom and never will, for some reason I find that weird. LOL
Id love to watch with Jay but he’s away so much right now that there’s alot of self netflix and chill goin on hahahah (IS THAT FAMILY FRIENDLY?!?!)
I’d love to watch Netflix with my hubby; We also have a tv in the bedroom, but it hardly gets used–unless it’s Christmas, hockey season, one of us is sick, or I need some time away!
i would like to watch it with my hubby of course, but really since Gilmore Girls is coming back to Netflix I just want to watch it by myself! :D
I want to watch with my lovely husband. Right now we are watching “The 100” on Netflix in the evenings! :)
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I want to watch Netflix with my husband or my favourite neighbour Kara (;
We love Netflix in our house. We aren’t big tv people and can’t keep to a set time schedul so next flux allows us to watch what we want(sometimes debatable) when we want! I’m still not sure if I understand the term Netflix and chill though! Haha
Would be awesome to win! The boys love paw patrol!
I would want to watch netflix with my son
I’d love to watch with the boyfriend. Much needed date night :)
With my husband! The new season of House of Cards comes out in March. :)
I use to have Netflix! I miss it so much! I would curl up in bed and watch a family movie with my two young boys and husband with some popcorn and other munchies :) My valentines would be perfect!
I would love to Share Netflix with my hubbie to give it s shot because we don’t have it yet. WE had it when we were in the USA (we came back to Canada ) but it was all DVDs in the mail box then.
We love Netflix (as I’ve mentioned before) although I don’t think we’ll ever have a TV in our bedroom. I can see all of your points though! For us, having the one big TV in the basement works because Brian likes to play video games at night and I like to read in bed :) PS I think the whole Netflix and chill thing is hilarious & I also had to explain to my lovely hubby what it was (awhile ago). haha. Men. ;)
I would watch it with my hubby! :) We love binge watching TV!
I adore Netflix! I gave up my cable when I moved 6 months ago and one of my saddest moments was the realization that I couldn’t find episodes of Scandal online. BUT then I found out they are on Netflix (including the ones being aired that same week!). It has been AWESOME!!! It’s something we love watching together!
I would love to watch with my husband on date nights, we are hooked on Orange is the new black and with the kiddos for family movie nights, I hear they have Inside out on netflix right now :)
I would love to snuggle in with the wife and check out the new Judd Apatow Netflix series “Love” that is starting this month.
Thanks
We love Netflix – the Big Guy and I watch some things together – mostly BBC shows lately. And I watch some on my own in the middle of the night when my body protests the temperature and my mind wants to solve every world problem there is…I’ve just finished the four part BBC series called North and South from the Elizabeth Gaskell (sp?) novel. It was wonderful – you’ll recognize Brendan Coyle from Downton Abbey. Worth a watch. But for the two of us (BG & I) Inside Out is our next movie!
I love tv in bed! Currently i am watching Wentworth on Netflix.
There’s no better place to find great family movies than Netflix! I’d love to cuddle up with hubby or kiddo.
Yay! Congrats Sarah! You’re the winner of the giveaway! <3 Thanks so much for commenting. I’ll email you the 6 month Netflix code!
We have a TV in the bedroom. I would love to cuddle up with my hubby and watch Netflix :)
I would love to try to get my husband to watch netflix with me. Usually he plays video games and I go to bed & yes we have a tv in our bedroom but there really isn’t much on tv in general that interests me.
It is great to be able to watch some old series for the first time or rewatch some of your old favourites!
We cut the cable four years ago! Our boys love the variety of offerings on Netflix and us adults enjoy it on weekends after the boys are in bed. We’re currently watching Season 2 of Hell On Wheels.
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I think I’d watch it with Dave, but I’d have to convince him to watch something good – we can never agree on what to watch together!
So. I don’t have Netflix. Or cable. Or satellite. We are so old school with our antenna! but I’ve been considering subscribing to Netflix for the kids so I would love to share this with them. Thats who I would be watching with. From paw patrol for the boys and once upon a time for fam night :)