Do you have a ‘living room family’? Here’s why it is gaining popularity on TikTok

TikTok’s “living room family” trend celebrates shared spaces and inclusive parenting. Here’s why families are embracing it.

The term “living room family” has been trending on TikTok, celebrating families who enjoy spending time together in their living rooms.

The trend highlights the joy of creating a cozy space where kids can play, read, or be close to their parents.

On the other hand, TikTok has also popularized the term “bedroom family,” describing households where kids prefer spending time in their rooms instead of joining their parents in the living room.

“I just learned the term ‘living room family’ and I never understood why my kids never played in their rooms when I always did as a kid,” said TikTok user alexxx1915 in her post.

In a ten-second clip, she captures her kids playing in the living room before showing a thoughtful expression.

The video resonated with parents, gaining over 25 million views and thousands of emotional comments.

Jess Darrington (@where.is.briggs), a mother of two from Idaho, also first learned the term on TikTok.

She told Newsweek that just the night before, she and her husband had been lamenting how hard it is to find time alone, as their kids always want to be in the same room.

“But then after seeing that TikTok video explaining what it meant, it struck me that I was looking at my situation entirely upside down,” she said.

Inspired by the video, she shared her post, explaining how happy she is that her children feel comfortable in the house.

In her clip, her kids play and laugh in the living room, with toys scattered around.

Many other moms are joining the conversation on TikTok, using the hashtag “living room family.”

The hashtag has over 900 posts, with mothers sharing how they create a sense of comfort and inclusion for their children at home.

Dr. Martha Deiros Collado, a clinical psychologist, told Newsweek that the concept of a living room family is more than sharing space.

It involves welcoming children’s toys, play, and belongings into shared areas rather than restricting them to bedrooms.

Although the concept is new and lacks formal research, Deiros Collado told Newsweek that making children feel included throughout the home can have a strong psychological impact.

Allowing toys and games in shared spaces sends the message that children are valued household members and deserve as much space and consideration as adults.

The concept challenges the idea that children should adapt to adult spaces without leaving traces of their presence.

Deiros Collado said this shift reflects a growing trend among parents, especially those with traumatic childhoods, to create more inclusive and welcoming environments for their kids.

The clinical psychologist also explained that the idea of not adjusting homes for children is outdated and fails to recognize kids’ important role in family life.

She noted that parents who grew up in homes where only their bedrooms felt child-friendly may have felt excluded or pressured to act like adults.

As a result, they often aim to create a more inclusive environment for their children, one that communicates, “You belong here too.”

Darrington shared that her children frequently follow her and her husband around the house, even to the bathroom.

She noted that because they prefer being close to the kitchen or living room, the house tends to get messier more quickly than if they were playing in a separate playroom.

Inspired by a TikTok video about “living room family,” Darrington posted her own, with the caption, “It’s worth the mess.”

As children grow, their desire for privacy increases, according to Deiros Collado.

She emphasized that inclusive parenting involves making children feel valued by listening to their thoughts, feelings, and interests.

At the core, children want to be accepted for who they are. Today’s parents reinforce a message of belonging and inclusion by moving away from the traditional divide between adult and child spaces.

Here’s Jess’s viral TikTok video showing her kids enjoying being in a “living room family:”

@where.is.briggs It’s worth the mess. 🥹 Glad my kids feel comfortable being a “living room family”. ❤️ #livingroomfamily #husband #wife #momsoftiktok #dadsoftiktok ♬ original sound – Claire Boyer