Benefits of Boredom

Laying on the floorIt’s the end of summer, the camps are done, the days are getting noticeably shorter, and school is just around the corner.  For my children, the complaints of ‘I am so bored’ have begun.  Of course, my response is; ‘That’s excellent, have SO much fun with your boredom.’  As expected, there are grumbles all around for a few moments and then miraculously, each child becomes absorbed in an activity that often leads to something magical.

The magic could be them playing together in harmony for much longer than usual, a very cool art project, the discovery of a magnificently gross organic matter in the backyard, or a long, delicious phone conversation with one of their friends who does not live close by.

Boredom is something we fight tooth and nail as humans and something we need to invite, welcome and relish.  As adults, we fight this just as much and I feel that it’s a disservice to ourselves, so I figure if I can help my children foster this ability, just a little bit, that will help them as they grow older.

So when your child(ren) come to you with expressions of bored either say ‘Congratulations’ or use one of our parents responses that I am sure each of us remember from our childhoods; ‘You’re bored?  Boy, do I have things for you to do….’.

 

Happily, either response garners the same results.