As new parents, watching movies is out of the question because you are both so knackered that you won’t be able to sit through a two hour film without falling asleep. But a series on the other hand- a half an hour peek into the lives of other parents is not only manageable but also satisfyingly relatable- if you choose carefully. So, just when you thought you were the only ones going through the weird and wonderful with your kids, these shows will prove to you that you are simply part of a new clan now.
Rob Delaney and Sharon Horgan Credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Archive/PA Images
Catastrophe: Rob Delaney and Sharon Horgan play characters by the same name Rob and Sharon who meet in a club one night while Rob is over from America on business. After many, many hook ups, Rob flies home only to receive a phone call from Sharon informing him that she is pregnant. Rob does the right thing by her and moves to England to help her raise the baby and what ensues is all the ups and downs of getting to know each other while also getting to grips with being expectant and then...new parents. Delaney and Horgan are masters at combining the very best of American and English humour in this must watch for all new parents who need a giggle.
Catastrophe is on Amazon Prime now.
Motherland: Middle class motherhood and everything that comes with it is explored in this laugh out loud comedy starring Anna Maxwell Martin and Lucy Punch. Julia is trying to navigate work with her kids after her mother refuses to look after them anymore, Kevin is attempting to be the best house husband he can, while it’s obvious his wife has fallen out of love with him and Amanda tries to keep up the facade that her life is as perfect as her appearance and her house, when in truth, her and her husband are struggling behind the scenes. Another offering by Sharon Horgan who co-wrote the series, this is a little gem for mothers of older children but also new mothers too so they can be warned about what’s to come.
Motherland is no Netflix now.
Breeders: Martin Freeman and Daisy Haggard play Paul and Ally, unmarried parents of a boy and a girl who are just trying to get through each day as a full time working mum and dad. It touches on very sensitive topics such as death and postnatal depression with humour and a freshness that we haven’t seen from this type of show before. While this series is very heavy on the swearing, it has you hooked from episode one and perfectly intertwines the love and frustration parents feel for their children every day.
Breeders is currently on Now TV.
My Family: It’s an old one but a good one all the same. Ben Harper (Robert Lindsay) plays a dentist who has very little time for anyone which includes his wife Susan (Zoë Wanamaker), and their children Nick (Kris Marshall), Janey (Daniela Denby-Ashe), and Michael (Gabriel Thomson), all of whom deliberately test his short temper for their own entertainment. A classic BBC show that deserves a presence on this list all these years later because it will make you laugh just as much as it did when it was first aired.
My Family is on BBC I Player now.
Outnumbered: How every parent feels whether they have one child or three- this part improvised series follows Pete and Sue, played by Hugh Dennis and Claire Skinner as they raise their three children and has received critical acclaim for its realistic portrayal of parenting and family life. Another show that was aired back in the 2000s but still has relevance today.
Outnumbered is on BBC I Player now.
RELATED: The benefits of a Yes Day for both parents and children according to a clinical psychologist
Friday 12th March marks International Yes Day, the one day a year when parents/guardians say YES! to their kids and for 24 hours, the kids make the rules. Whether it’s staying up late, having pizza for breakfast or building a den in the living room, the answer is YES! The concept forms the inspiration behind the new film YES DAY, which is now available on Netflix. To celebrate the release, we caught up with Dr Hazel Harrison (Clinical Psychologist) to ask her advice about a Yes Day.
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