Boredom is Boring
Have you heard that children will happily entertain themselves if you leave them in their boredom?
More often than not, kids left alone will simply wander the halls of their homes like nomads and eventually turn on the TV.
Boredom is a state of “lacking vision.”
A child doesn’t know what resources are available or that they are allowed to use. They don’t have a partner, haven’t got a good grasp of how much time they can dedicate to the “thing,” and don’t know if they start a project that they’ll be allowed to leave the mess until they finish. They’re afraid of doing a bad job.
You can reverse this particular curse by being the one who:
- strews good stuff in their wake,
- supports brainstorming,
- and stays patient if it takes a while.
For example, you can set out the art materials and let them decide if the supplies feel like the right thing for today.
Boredom is not a virtue and it’s especially not meant to be punishment for not having an endless well of creativity. ALL of us need help to get out of the doldrums. Be that kind support while they sort through it!
If none of the ideas work, you can recommend “time to think” activities like:
- eating a snack (protein!),
- taking a bath,
- walking around the backyard,
- or petting the dog.
Sometimes kids need something to do while they are thinking of what to do next.
This post is originally from Instagram and @juliebogartwriter is my account there so come follow along for more conversations like this one!
