The TV remote war at home, how do you keep the peace?

Loading player...
Do you remember as a child when your dad came home and you handed that TV remote over as fast as you could? Stacey and J Sbu explored the TV remote war at home and how exactly parents of today are keeping the peace.

We heard from one listener who said their three-year-old tends to have more control of the remote than she does! Now that sent Stacey Norman over the edge, as a '90s kid, this is something she simply could not get behind.

Stacey recently moved in with her partner, and she shared how she woke up at 5 am to watch UFC!

Mbalenhle from Pietermaritzburg has her own TV in her bedroom, while the kids' TV is in the lounge. The key, according to Stacey (after chatting to Mbalenhle), is to have money and multiple TVs.

Mario from Newlands East says his peace comes during the week as everyone watches whatever they want but on the weekend, its his time to shine!

“Come the weekend, I don’t want to hear nobody’s [sic] excuses,” he explained.

J Sbu says the TV remote handling coincides with the person who has the best seat in the lounge and the person who gets their food dished up first.

“What happened to the good old days when you just sent the kids outside to play?” he said.

Chrissy from Phoenix is ALWAYS in control. “The kids know the rules: when mommy is home, no one touches the remote,” she shared. She did, however, share that when her husband comes home, there tends to be a bit of a riff but they’ve learned how to compromise.
25 Aug 2025 English South Africa Society & Culture · Personal Journals

Other recent episodes

Your Big Walk playlist that means something

As we build up to the Suncoast East Coast Radio Big Walk, we’re creating more than just a moment on the Durban Promenade, we’re creating a shared soundtrack to it. I think we can all agree that music has a way of carrying us through, whether it’s that final stretch…
19 Mar 7 min

Who are you walking with and who are you definitely not walking with?

For the Kiddies Hotline this week, we’re tying it into the spirit of the Suncoast East Coast Radio Big Walk. We want to know… who are you walking with and who are you definitely not walking with? Are you teaming up with your bestie, your mom, your dad, maybe even…
18 Mar 1 min

Whose shoes are you walking in and how has it changed you?

There’s something powerful about this year’s theme for the Suncoast East Coast Radio Big Walk, Walking In Your Shoes, because it’s not just about the physical act of walking; it’s about perspective. It’s about pausing for a moment and asking yourself: whose life would I better understand if I walked…
17 Mar 10 min

Gone then back: A daughter's struggle with a deadbeat dad

A father who vanished for years has suddenly slid back into his child's DMs and no, it was not to apologise, not to reconnect, but to ask for money. This week's confessor had to take their own dad to court just to get help with varsity fees and even then…
12 Mar 10 min

Ziya Mohanlall : A cricket prodigy at just 14 years old

if you needed a reminder that the future of South African cricket is looking incredibly bright, this next story will do exactly that. At just 14 years old, a Durban Girls’ College learner is already making serious waves on the cricket field. Ziya Mohanlall, who’s only in Grade 9, has…
12 Mar 5 min