Being bored may be the start of something new

Of course we hear it all the time, and by the end of school holidays it has become a constant refrain, like a chorus of cicadas – ‘I’m bored’. And if you believe what advertisers would have you believe, then allowing your kids to become bored means that you have failed on some level as a parent. Don’t you believe a word of it.

It’s very tempting to take on your kids’ boredom and try and solve it for them. The natural inclination for the loving parent is to look for ways to fill their days – swimming lessons, footy training, trips to the fun park, music lessons. And there’s no doubt that a sensible amount of structured extra-curricular activity is a great thing. But to try and cater for every hour of every day of their lives is doing them (and you) no favours in the long run.

And here’s a refreshing view: your children have the right to be bored, leave them to it. By this I mean you need to allow them time to organise things for themselves, to take some responsibility for their own interests and show some initiative. As necessity is the mother of invention, so boredom could be the stimulus for new and interesting hobbies.

Next time your little angels complain about being bored, leave them to their own resources and get on with your day. After all, us parents NEVER have time to be bored!