David Farnor | On 26, Apr 2017

Parents are increasingly streaming shows to connect with their children, new research from Netflix reveals.

Inspired by 13 Reasons Why, which deals with the subject of teen suicide, the streaming giant is encouraging parents to talk about the issues raised by the show with their kids. SAVE.org and the JED Foundation have publishing talking points for teens and adults, with other resources also published on the 13 Reasons Why website.

A study of familes across seven countries, though, show that parents and kids are already using Netflix to bridge the gap between generations. 80 per cent of parents admit they are watching shows such as Pretty Little Liars and Stranger Things to feel closer to their teenager, while three quarters (74 per cent) say they’d be interested in talking to parents about the shows they watch, with both sides (89 per cent of parents; 70 per cent of teens) seeing it as a strong way to bond.

While 56 per cent of parents think it’s tough to talk to teens, nearly all parents (93 per cent) around the world feel that watching their TV shows will give them more to talk about and 78 per cent of teens agree. Not only that, but watching your teen’s shows every now and then inspires more than just small talk.

When it comes to tough conversations (think sex, bullying and stress), parents (79 per cent) and teens (65 per cent) agree that watching the same shows could help start a dialogue. And most teens (71 per cent) admit that having their parents watch their favorite shows could help them better understand what’s going on in their lives.

According to teens, content found in shows like Arrow, Breaking Bad, Daredevil, Friends, Grey’s Anatomy and Orange is the New Black might give parents and teens more to talk about and even help parents better relate to them.

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