The Tribe Has Spoken :: How a Reality Show Became a Family Bonding Experience

“I want Yam Yam to win. Who do you want to win?”
“Who’s going home?!”
“How many are on the jury?”

These are just a handful of the dozens of questions my son asks me, without fail, every Wednesday night. Over the past few months, watching the long-running reality show “Survivor” has become our thing to do together.

I don’t have any brothers, and almost all of my cousins are girls. And while I had a few childhood playmates who were boys, for the most part, all of my friends were girls. After becoming a boy mom, there’s been a lot of foreign territory I’ve had to navigate.

My son has always been a daddy’s boy. He enjoys doing physical activities, like playing soccer in the park, riding bumper cars, and going to the driving range. He enjoys cheering on Liverpool whenever Premiership games are on. Those are all things he does with his father. I’m not a sports person at all. It’s just not my thing.

That’s not to say he spends all of his free time with dad only. He and I go to library, the Children’s Museum, and other local events. And while he always has a great time, these types of activities aren’t quite as exciting as bumper cars and go-karts.

One Wednesday night, we inadvertently found something we both enjoyed. “Survivor” is one of my comfort shows. I’ve been watching it since season 1! I may not have an athletic bone in my body, but I enjoy shows that feature competition. I love the strategizing and the social dynamics. The more recent seasons have been somewhat lackluster, as the producers seem to keep adding new twists and elements to keep up audience excitement. But I still enjoy seeing what they come up with to keep the game evolving. So, every Wednesday, I tune in.

Last fall, my husband was working nights, which left me home with my son. During this time, my son was going through a phase of getting up after he had been put to bed, using typical stalling tactics (“I need to use the potty” and “I want a drink of water”). One night, he came out into the living room while I was watching “Survivor,” and when he saw a competition filled with climbing, running across balance beams, and other physical feats, his curiosity was piqued.

I explained what it was and asked if he wanted to watch it — as long as he promised to go directly to bed as soon as it was over. He agreed and became immediately hooked.

Ever since then, it’s been our Wednesday night ritual. My son is allowed to stay up for an extra hour, on Wednesday nights only, to watch how the competition will play out. And my son and I have finally have “our thing” to do together.