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If it weren’t for the Olympics, I’d be watching a grown man eat bugs and build fires tonight. Normally, my tweens, my husband and I watch whichever wilderness survivor show is on the Discovery Channel on Friday nights. Sometimes, it’s the calm Canadian Les Stroud, who seems to struggle against sinking into a deep depression out in the wild on “Survivorman.” Other Fridays, it’s the ex-Special Forces survivalist Bear Grylls, who jumps from “helis” and corners porcupines for dinner on “Man vs. Nature.” All that’s in it for me is the chance that Bear might strip down to his skivvies.
But the Olympics will change all that. For the next 17 nights, I’ve got something to watch with my tweens that we all enjoy. My 9-year-old wants to watch the swimming. My 11-year-old is looking forward to the “field part of track and field.” My husband, the marathon runner, just wants to see the very best athletes in the world run. And I want to see soccer, tennis, swimming and gymnastics.
No doubt we’ll watch each other’s favorites, though my husband will be alone in the marathon viewing. I’d rather watch Bear Grylls eat bugs than follow a marathon. At least there’s some excitement there. Yet, thanks to the Olympics, there’s something for all of us, bringing our family together. I can’t say that about most TV shows aimed at tweens.
My boys have no interest in the Disney channel shows created for their age group, and my husband won’t watch “American Idol” with us. Rather, he mumbles something about preferring to watch people chase porcupines and leaves the room. We used to watch baseball together until one kid became a Yankees fan and the other a Mets fan. We don’t tune in anymore if for no other reason than to prevent a Subway Series brawl in our living room. And my younger tween is more likely to sit down and watch a Grand Slam tennis match with me, while everyone else feigns interest.
Tonight, though, we’ll tune in together to watch the Olympics’ opening ceremonies. On Saturday night, we’ll sample some beach volleyball before we watch swimming and running. As the Olympic games continue, my sons will keep a running tally of the medals the United States wins, and I’ll keep my eye out for soccer and tennis on TV. And then, when it’s all over, we’ll go back to watching grown men eat bugs and wish there was more on TV for my tweens and me to enjoy together.
– Posted by Jen Singer
