Things for you to do when the footie’s on TV

Does the man in your life live for football? And if that’s the case, what do you do when he’s watching? 

When football’s on TV, it can take up a lot of time – whether it’s mid-week evenings or during the day at the weekend. 

Is this a familiar scene in your living room?

Photo credit: CJS*64 A man with a camera

Even when it’s not the Premier League he’s watching, other tournaments get in on the TV schedules, such as the Champions' League, so during the winter months it can feel almost like there’s nothing else on! And every other year, there’s a major international tournament such as last year’s World Cup or the European Championship – look out for Euro 2016 next year! 

The 2015-2016 fixture list has been released by the FA. Make a note of the key dates if you want to get busy doing something out of the house to leave him and the TV alone!

So, how do you spend the time when your man’s watching the footie?

If you’ve got children, it’s a great time to do any kind of making or baking project. Getting all the paper, glue and scissors out or helping them to make fairy cakes. There can be something quite nice about the background noise of the football match on the TV in the next room while you’re doing something else. You know he’s enjoying watching, but you don’t have to sit there twiddling your thumbs pretending to be interested when really, and quite frankly you have no desire to learn the offside rule!

Of course, this year’s football season is just about over now. Even if you have no interest whatsoever, you’ll probably have heard that Chelsea won the Premier League. The only other major events left to be decided is the Champions League finals. And if you feel you have to show willing and watch, one way to make it more fun is to have a small wager on the matches. For the uninitiated in football betting, get up to speed with the latest news at http://www.bet365.com/news/en/betting/football. 

Just for info, it's Barcelona playing Juventus in the Champions League final on 6th June 2015.

If you have kids, you can hope that when they’re old enough to take an interest, they might share your partner’s passion for football, so you don’t have to. 

Currently, Aaron loves going to football club on Fridays but hasn't adopted the habit of watching on TV yet, and hasn't even started supporting a team.

Generally, it’s a given with boys, but that’s not to say that girls can’t like football, too. My niece has played in a team FOR YEARS; matches, the lot! 

If you’ve got a baby or toddler now, you can look forward to a future time when your partner and the kids are wrapped up in the football, which will leave you with lots of free time to relax. You could book a massage to coincide with the game, for example, or head out for a shopping trip by yourself, without having to take the kids with you.

You can shop 'til you drop without the kids in tow

Photo credit: by Svadilfari

If you’re a crafter, you could work on your current project while the football fans in the family are gathered around the TV in the other room, leaving you to do your scrapbook-ing or work on your sewing or crochet project. If you’ve never been the ‘crafty’ type (like me!), it’s a great time to learn a new skill. Going online you can teach yourself to do virtually anything from ceramics through to jewellery making, and all the materials can also be ordered online.

Don’t see football as a blight on your family time – grab it as time to spend doing something wholesome with the kids if they’re not interested, and if they are interested, look at it as some valuable mummy ‘me time’.