Let Your Kids Be Bored

I’m blinking fed up (fittingly, bored) of hearing my kids complain that they’re bored, right now.

We’re on the second week of half term and spent most of the first in Paris, which is exactly when my mum reminded me that kids being bored is no bad thing, if anything it’s supports imagination, creativity and problem-solving. This was during the flight out there-there was little opportunity for boredom on our culture-packed trip.

It got me thinking…

What did my brother, Solos, and I, do when we were bored growing up? We played board games (no pun intended this time), created our own TV shows (I loved being Ricky Lake), built dens, played outside for hours (football, basketball and messing around on our skateboards), we drew and painted, wrote and later typed out stories, and even baked (badly)! We also hung out with our beloved cat Natasha!

My parents entertained us to a degree when they weren’t working but I don’t remember our entertainment being a huge priority for them.

They bought us books to read, VHS films to watch and took us all over the world during our childhood (we were incredibly lucky) but day-to-day or on the weekends at least, after one or two outings (the cinema and a restaurant for e.g.) we were for the most part, responsible for finding ways to play together and keep ourselves occupied. It also left room for quiet time, contemplation and not always needing to do anything at all! When I chat to my friends, their experiences were the same.

Complaints of being bored would be met with suggestions at best and ignored for the most part.

And guess what? We turned out OK. More than OK. Creative and interested in a vast array of subjects. Resilient. Inquisitive. We don’t have the 3 second attention span I worry my kids might develop (although so far so good as screen time is in moderatation, even with the older kids) and they all enjoy reading and watching films, and whilst I want to spend time with my children where possible, I can’t be responsible for them feeling entertained 24/7. They need to be bored so they can figure out what they like doing too.

Florence loves to paint and draw. She likes creating tea parties with her dolls and teddy bears and her latest obsession is cutting up her drawings and making collages. She’s learning to read and can already read short sentences solo and that’s another favourite pasttime of hers which doesn’t require me getting involved (unless I want to/have time to).

So, let them be bored. It’s good for them, and good for you!

This is a useful resource on the benefits of boredom from The Child Mind Institute.