“I’m bored’ is a useless thing to say. I mean, you live in a great, big, vast world that you’ve seen none percent of.
Even the inside of your own mind is endless; it goes on forever, inwardly, do you understand? The fact that you’re alive is amazing, so you don’t get to say ‘I’m bored.” – Louis CK
Is it really possible these days to be bored?
I remember learning at a very early age never to say that I was bored. When I said that, all sorts of menial labor projects came out of nowhere. Fortunately, I got wise and was no longer required to dust the bottom legs of the dining room chairs or shine my father’s shoes.
Today we really don’t get bored. We simply pickup an electronic device and get ‘busy’ which I suppose is the opposite of bored. But is being busy all the time a good thing?
Raising kids in our always connected world is a challenge because being bored is actually a good thing. It gives a child time to think, day dream, create something new, something novel, something that is their own, and more importantly, time to interact with family and friends.
Please comment below and share some ‘unplugged’ ideas for kids. That is, if you are lucky enough to hear your children say, “I’m bored.” I for one would love a little boredom!
Have a great week.
Tina Nocera, Founder
Kids ages 8,7 and 4
1. Buy old books at thrift stores. Not necessarily kids books but educational and non fiction. Grandparents may be able to give you these as well. I find the books are on subjects of importance since it wasn’t easy to get published that many years ago. Books are on sewing, canning, gardening, Grand Canyon, art, etc.
2. They look at their baby books or watch family home videos. They love looking at my husband and it’s old yearbooks.
3. I have plain white postcards ready and stamps.
4. My kids play outside a lot. We have lots of kids in our development. I buy different sporting equipment at thrift stores for dirt cheap. I have tennis rackets, lacrosse sticks, field hockey sticks, basketball, etc. when they say that they are bored with a friend I tell them to go play gym teacher.
5. Walkie talkies.
6. Wash their toys. Cars, Barbie dolls hair, tools, etc.
I find that I am the biggest influencer as to whether my kids watch too much TV. I am laughing because I just had this conversation with myself this weekend. My four year old watches too much TV. I wrote down my own ideas to do with him today. Thanks for the reminder.
What great ideas! thanks
I’m with you regarding that word bored, I didn’t approve of my children using it and they knew it. But what shocked me is when I was watching children’s programs with my grandchildren they constantly were using the word bored. What is that all about? This does not make it easy for parents to explain.
I’m with you Tina if they use that word, hand them a dust mob.
From an old fashion girl.
Karen
At night play flashlight tag, and for older kids manhunt. Little kids love any games with water, bubbles, or chalk.
If the weather is bad, build indoor forts, or do simple science experiments.