IT’S no secret that most of us parents with young kids take every opportunity for timeout that comes along because frankly, there aren’t that many.

More often than I’m proud of, I execute my finely honed “dump-and-run” manoeuvre during violin lessons and after-school programs. The sweet call of freshly brewed coffee and 20 whole minutes when the only question to answer is “what can I get you?” beckons me, and I give in.

Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a mummy-guilt article. We engage with our kids constantly, so the mini-breaks while they do their thing are welcome (and necessary!). However, when it comes to opportunities to genuinely enjoy time together at family friendly events, I have noticed a rather alarming shift.

It seems the entertainment industry’s definition of “family friendly” has morphed into “suitable for kids while parents can tune out”. We see it all the time – parents on their phones during movies at the cinema, or kids up the front and parents down the back at live events.

It’s sad to see parents written out of live, family entertainment. Each time is a missed opportunity for us to enjoy genuine, heartfelt merriment right alongside our kids (and not just the type that comes from seeing our kids enjoy themselves).

It’s not just me who has noticed this trend. Mark Trenwith (aka Mr Snot Bottom) is one of Australia’s premiere children’s comedians and he’s incredibly passionate about bridging this great divide.

“It’s always sad seeing kids at the front and parents at the back, not interacting with each other,” he says.

“That doesn’t happen in my shows. Nothing makes me happier than seeing parents and children laughing together and sharing the performance as a family.

“It’s all in the name of fun and many of the loudest laughs come from the parents!”

As a seasoned performer of more than 14 years’ experience, Trenwith has spent more recent years focusing his efforts towards comedy for kids, and has performed in several stage shows including “Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends”, “Ben Ten: The Live Experience” and as Captain Starlight a superhero who visits patients at the Melbourne Children’s Hospital.

His colourful and clownish style has also seen him earn many Australian film and TV projects including “Peaches”, starring Hugo Weaving, and a major role as superhero Bounce-Back Man in ABC TV’s children’s program “Being Me”.

Trenwith also runs workshops to schools and independent organisations addressing the widespread issue of bullying, utilising his humour as a conduit for breaking down walls and connecting with children on this issue. On stage, Trenwith has been the cause of countless kids’ raucous laughter as he combines a captivating stage presence with some of the best kid-gags of all time. Such is his charisma and wit, I found myself laughing heartily at things I would normally tell my eight-year-old son off for laughing at.

I’m not going to lie to you, most of Trenwith’s show is toilet humour. Yet somehow, he takes those old school-yard gags and turns them into a masterpiece of comicality that elicits laughter from both children and adults alike.

If you can handle dealing with a little more snot and toilet humour to what you’re already enduring at home, and if you have kids aged 4-12, “Mr Snot Bottom’s Seriously Stinky Songs” is coming to College Theatre, Phillip, on April 23. Bookings via trybooking.com