Have you heard about the #LivingRoomFamily trend on TikTok?
I used to find trends bubbling up on Twitter, but now it appears that TikTok is where popular ideas and content go viral – and that’s where I first learned about having a “living room family.”
Here’s an article about it on SheKnows.
Put simply, the trend came about when moms on TikTok noticed that their kids like to hang out in the living room with the family – not isolated in their rooms.
These moms marveled over how different that was from their own childhoods, where being in their room alone felt like the only true “safe space” in the home.
I saw other mom bloggers write about this and couldn’t help jumping on the bandwagon. The concept of “living room families” rings very true because I did not have that when I was a kid and teen. Truthfully, I only ever wanted to be in my room alone. My family did not hang out socially together unless we kids were forced to. Mealtimes were spent together, but it was not pleasant; I remember it mostly as being criticized or yelled at and then feeling bad about myself. And I was a good kid!
In deep contrast, my family today truly enjoys hanging out and spending time together. We congregate in our cozy, comfortable family room to watch shows or movies together, usually punctuated by conversation and laughter. We often eat together on the couch, rather than at our perfectly nice dinner table, because we’re pretty informal when it’s just the three of us. We are definitely a living room family; even our dogs and cat love hanging out with us in the family room, as pictured above.
Now, of course that doesn’t mean that our teen spends all her time with us. She certainly has a good, healthy amount of “teenager time” in her own room, which she loves. And she spends time with her friends and boyfriend, of course. But we have a good balance – and she knows that if she is at home and comes out to the family room, one or both of her parents will join her for some connection and conversation. I love that about us.
I’m seeing some backlash against the “living room families” trend from parents of introverted souls who simply prefer time by themselves. That’s okay, too! Obviously, too much together time can result in bickering and squabbling. It’s all about balance.
For me, this trend was just a nice reminder of how different my daughter’s childhood is from my own – and how much loving support she gets from two parents who adore and celebrate her. I am fortunate to recognize that both of my parents love and support me now, but it didn’t always feel that way when I was a kid due to a certain parent having more of a “tough love” philosophy that didn’t translate well to young children.
Did you have a “living room family” childhood – or do you have one now? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below or over on Facebook or Instagram.
