Do you worry when your kids say they have nothing to do?
New research is showing that boredom is good for kids. So if your kids are saying that they’re bored, you don’t have to worry and try to fix it right away.
Instead, start seeing your kids being bored as something that will actually foster their creativity.
How does it work?
When your kids are bored and don’t have something to do right away, they get a chance to imagine and come up with new ways of doing things.
And as Marie Hartwell-Walker, Ed.D., says, “Since most kids are good kids, they usually don’t resort to mischief. Instead, they invent, they make art, they explore, they read, and they look for other kids to interact with in person instead of on a screen. This creative play is the much-needed rehearsal for kids to become innovative, creative, socially adept adults.”
She also gives some tips for what you can do when your kids are bored, and how to start being okay with your kids being bored…
- Provide materials, but not directions.
Kids get so used to following directions from you as their parents, from their teachers at school, from their math worksheets, and for their video games that kids are forgetting how to create their own rules and have fun with things.
If you take a trip to the craft store and come back with a bunch of random supplies, you can lay them out on the table for your kids to see and then see what your kids create with them.
No directions about making a dog, or a house, or a even a pretty picture. Just let them look through the materials and come up with their own ideas.
Here’s another great one:
Resist the temptation to rescue the kids when they say they’re bored or when they seem to be at loose ends. Instead, let them know you have complete confidence in their ability to figure out how to spend their time.
Your kids will quickly learn that they are empowered and that you believe in them. This is a great combination for raising kids that are well-adjusted and who know how to rely on themselves when appropriate.
Click through to the full article for more great tips about how you can help yourself and your kids through the boredom conversation.
More Parenting Advice: What do you do when you kids are bored? Share your tips in the comments section below…
Why Parents Should Resign As Boredom Busters [PsychCentral]
