TV Watching Habits in Married Couples?

Question

My husband and I couldn't be more different when it comes to what to watch at the end of the day. I'm a history nerd and I love documentaries. My husband likes adult humor movies. We can never agree on what to watch. Sometimes we end up watching television in two separate rooms. However,  not spending take together worries me; I mean, shouldn't husband and wife be able to come together after a long day of work?

With quality time in mind, I've tried to watch my hubbies' shows, but I just cannot get into them. I try to keep an open mind and I've given his shows several chances. On top of that, if I ask my husband a question about the show he gets mad. Furthermore, he's always on his phone while watching TV. I feel completely ignored and like I have been "hushed." When it comes to my shows, my husband "watches" them with me. Translation: he is on his phone all the way through my show and he takes a dozen smoke breaks during my show. I just feel like one of us is always yielding to the other one,  and then we both sit in silence wishing the show would end. I worry this will build resentment over time.

I want to spend time with my husband. I've tried to do no TV at all, and to get my husband to talk to me or cook or maybe play a game. But he just stays on his phone while I get frustrated. And then we drift off into separate rooms watching television.

Is this normal? Other couples experience this? What else can I do?

Answer

I feel you. If I have to watch one more show about finding sasquach my head may explode, lol
My husband and I will find shows that we enjoy together and watch them. If there is something I don't want to watch I'll go do something else instead, or pester him to go for a walk or something. I will watch my own show downstairs as well, if he's watching something I dislike. But usually that doesn't last long and we will hang out together. 
You two need to find a new show you can both enjoy, or perhaps start doing things that do not rotate around the TV.  Like joining a co-ed sports team, going outside for walks, going to the gym, really whatever floats your respective boats.

Answer

I think this is the norm for some couples. Right now my bf is in the bedroom watching history channel stuff on his phone and I'm in the living room doing other things. This is us most nights. I would like to spend more time doing things together but we are just every different people.

Answer

I'd rather watch something boring than go sit by myself in another room just so I can watch tv. Luckily, were pretty good at compromising and, even though we never say it, if one of us knows the other had a bad or is in a really down mood, we'll say we don't care what we watch and let each other pick even if it's something we absolutely hate. My husband has seen the entire twilight series like 4 times because of this. When neither one of us has a preference we'll put on something we don't care about and play board games.

Answer

You know the one thing that gets my husband off the phone is when I read to him. I do voices and everything. He can't read very well because the words flip around in the sentences. Like the sentence will be "the dog goes to the park." and he'll see "park dog to goes the the" its strange but he gets frustrated so rarely reads even though he loves books. I'll read Harry potter and biographies and muder mysteries to him and he just looks at me doe eyed and laughs and jokes and asks questions and discusses characters with me. He's so sweet and im trying to find us a book club. The entire time his phone is buzzing and he doesn't look once. The best part is he snuggles with me after and he's open to conversations about important topics in our marriage. He'll get interested and involved with no complaints. My favorite thing to do is nature hikes so we do a lot of those and he is open and conversational during those too. He doesn't play on his phone the entire time and im very knowledgeable about nature I read every book watch every documentary take classes etc and he's also asking me "what kind of plant is this and what are its properties? Do you use it in your remedies? Is it poisonous? If we were in the wild could I eat it and survive?." If I say yes he'll then taste it 😂. He also asks about all the animals and thinks its so amazing how I can spot them when no one else is even aware they are there. My favorite is I have a way with wild animals where they come up to me. If I know the species I usually know how to communicate through gestures and he gets so amazed when we can get them up close. He always wants to pet them or feed them and he doesn't understand why I won't let him. but he just turns into this whole new person during nature hikes and reading time. I think you need to work hard to find something like that with your husband. Why don't you try both these things. Have him leave is phone in your backpack. Dont give up on getting his attention and turn off the tv

Answer

My fiancé and I watch the same shows so I'm not in the same boat. Try to find another way to bond. Idk what about bowling, laser tag, museums, festivals?

Answer

My husband I mostly watch tv together and share some similar tastes. But sometimes I'll be cooking when he gets home and he'll relax and watch whatever he wants and then after dinner sometimes I'll watch something I want and he'll do the dishes. It varies. We have an open concept house so we still see what the other one is watching in the living room while the other is in the kitchen. It really doesn't bother me much if he has his choice of shows for the entire week as I'm not that crazy about watching tv, is rather be searching the web, reading up on something or doing something else

Answer

I think it looks different for everyone. My husband and I do both. We watch tv together and have a few shows we both like and then spend time apart in the evening doing our own thing. We are both introverts and need alone time to recharge at times. This can be tough if one person is an introvert and the other is an extrovert. I think as long as you are communicating with each other and being intentional about spending time together at times throughout the week it is fine. We work to have quality time together to make sure we are nurturing our relationship.

Answer

My s.o and I like a lot of the same shows, but I also love documentaries and the occasional chick flick and he only likes the shows we both enjoy or things like family guy which I don't like. So sometimes I watch his movies and keep my phone down (but I do the question thing always no matter what LOL) and once in a rare while he will watch a documentary or biopic just to make me happy, and he does pay attention.

Or we watch different things in the same room with headphones, so we still are chilling together

Answer

Turn off the TV . 
Couples with out TV statically stay married longer. 
Find something else that you guys could agree on after a long day .?

Answer

Mine often has his eyes glued to his phone. I just bug him until he pays attention to me 😄 he knows that I want to spend time with him, so I don't think he minds too much.

TV Watching Habits in Married Couples?

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