Boredom Busters

Less than a week has passed since my son's 4th birthday party.  It was a small, family affair -- but one in which he racked up some major presents including a train table and a LeapPad2 (and Nerf guns, Legos, golf clubs, and several others -- too many to mention by name).  To boot, in the days following his party, we hosted out-of-town family, went to the beach, and to the movies.

But today, in the lull following a busy week, I hear that fingers-on-chalkboard-parenting-phrase, "Mom, I'm bored."

*Sigh*

"How can you be bored?" I ask, reminding him of all of his new toys (and his old ones) scattered throughout our house, birthday banner still hanging on the mantel, and deflated party balloons on the floor (our living room resembling the summer lovechild of Toys R' Us and Party City).

All that we've done over the past few days, and all the new birthday loot, and still -- boredom.  If my grandfather was at our house now to overhear this conversation (who, by the way, continues to provide a vibrant 80-something presence in our lives), he would lecture me about all that ails today's generation of children who have more than they need, not appreciating things as they should, and that we are the generation of parents enabling their spoil.

And he would probably be right.

But, shy of going back to yesteryear and restituting first-world problems such as these, there are a few simple things that parents can do to remedy the boredom bug when it bites.  During the month of July, I will explore causes and solutions for boredom in kids, starting at infancy and continuing through late adolescence.  As kids grow, developmentally their needs for parental stimulation is cyclical.  As with all things, with boredom, too much or too little parental involvement can be problematic.  In the weeks to come, I'll share ways to balance the boredom continuum across these different phases of child development.

Thought for today:  Today I've decided that I will allow boredom to flourish in our house.  I will not attempt to pacify it with television, video games, or trips around town.  I will not make a blanket fort, or help them "discover" hidden toys tucked away in their closets otherwise forgotten.  Nope.  Today, instead, I will let my fully-abled kids resolve their boredom woes sans mommy's help.  I will challenge them to find something to do using their innate, creative abilities and imaginations.  I will help them reach toys and will fetch art supplies.  I will supervise.  But I won't lead.  Won't you join me?

Practicing What I Preach:  Days like today (when I know my son's boredom isn't the result of too little adult interaction and play, but rather the result of too much involvement and stimulation over the past few days), I have learned to take a step back.  When a child has constant adult interaction (for example, his paternal grandparents were in town and at his disposal for 5 consecutive days), or the result of constantly being on-the-go and entertained (uh-hum, the trip to the beach and movie theater), or too much newness and novelty (the birthday presents now decorating our den), a child has no need to entertain himself.  Over time, the ability to self-soothe and self-entertain becomes desensitized.   

(Think of it like muscular atrophy: You don't use a muscle, it weakens.  Creativity is much the same way.  Constantly being entertained by someone or something else will weaken a child's ability to imagine or explore on his own.)   

Today's boredom buster: A little mental workout in creativity.  To build and strengthen his imagination, I will allow my kiddo to wallow in his boredom blues until his creative, independent juices start flowing again.  Happy "Independence" Day!  :)