I tried watching my daughters’ favourite YouTubers: I wanted to cry

"The completely ridiculous commentary about pretty much nothing at all caused my brain cells to rapidly disappear from my once treasured cranium."

Shona Hendley

3 min read

August 30, 2023 - 1:06PM

Parenting

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I remember reading a book or an article by a parenting expert once, who said, that engaging with your kids on their level, learning what they are interested in and trying to spend quality time with them doing what they like to do can be a really powerful tool in your parenting toolbox.

While I do often employ this approach in regard to hobbies outside of the house, on a rainy weekend recently, I decided to give this a go with one of their favourite at-home activities- watching YouTube (yes, I know the bane of every tween parent’s existence).

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Image: Supplied

'It's like hearing another language I do not understand, or want to'

Now, truth be told, I prefer entertainment to be via a subscription service or (very rarely) free-to-air but I do appreciate that times are changing and for my children and kids of their generation (heck even the generation just behind me), entertainment now centres around videos on social media, namely YouTube.

Over the past few months, I have heard my two daughters (nine and 10) discuss their favourite YouTube channels and YouTubers at length. They talk about it at the dinner table, in the car, while watching the videos, even on occasion informing me or my husband about something “really cool” that happened.

For the most part, though, I can't actually recall what was said because a) I have tuned out anything remotely related to YouTube and b) when I do listen, it is like hearing another language that I just do not understand (And in this case, have no inclination to understand).

But I do know that they absolutely adore a couple of Australian YouTubers who film themselves playing Roblox.

'Excitement was sucked out of my soul'

So, on this rainy day, with not much else to do, I decided to take a leap of faith and do what that parenting expert said to do, get on their level and immerse myself in one of their favourite hobbies and interests: I agreed to watch some videos with them.

Now let me tell you, their excitement was through the roof; they were genuinely so thrilled to have me, their mum who normally shuts down any YouTube talk and tells them to get off the platform numerous times a week, actually show some interest in it and consensually view it with them.

I honestly think they thought I’d gone a bit nuts (which, in hindsight, I think I agree with).

This part of the whole experience was wonderful and one of the positive elements that I think the parenting expert was on about.

But soon (very soon), after beginning the second 13-minute episode, any (even faux) excitement from me was sucked directly out of my soul until all that remained was a shell of the human I once was.

Image: Supplied

'Ridiculous commentary about pretty much nothing at all'

I am sure that not every YouTuber is like the one that I watched and perhaps this is my fault for not giving this whole experience enough time but OMG as soon as I heard the drawl that very specific tone of voice those elongated vowels and somehow made everything a whine, the word “slay” said about fifteen times in one minute, well I was done.

Actually, that isn’t completely true, after listening to what she was saying (other than slay), the completely ridiculous commentary about pretty much nothing at all which subsequently caused my brain cells to rapidly disappear from my once treasured cranium, well that was when I drew the line and ended this experiment.

Yep, I lasted a whole half an hour (which to be honest, in hindsight, I am actually impressed with myself about) because it was just absolute drivel.

Before my face transformed from a faux smiling, engaged viewer, my kids would look over at me to gauge my reaction, I think hoping that I too would hit those subscribe and like buttons. And while this was very cute, it still was not enough for me to fake it any longer than about 15 minutes, when the pent-up frustration just came out with the biggest sigh known to mankind.

After this, I told them, in the nicest way I could muster that this just wasn’t quite for me and that I didn’t think I could watch much more.

15 minutes later, I muttered, “Okay, Mum is having some self-care time now,” they momentarily looked up from the screen and I then went upstairs and switched on my mindfulness app (because 11 a.m. seemed too early for wine).