Say Yes to Boredom!
Imagine, it’s early Sunday morning and you’re just about to sit down and enjoy a coffee when you hear “mom, dad… I’m bored”. Our instinct can be to offer the kids things to do or schedule activities throughout each day, but that can hinder needed life skill development such as problem solving, organizational skills and boosting their self-esteem.
Problem Solving Skills
Boredom helps children develop planning strategies, problem-solving skills and organizational skills. If they encounter a problem when they are planning and doing activities on their own, without the steps being mapped out for them by us, they must figure out how to fix the problem. When a child learns how to problem solve on their own it boosts their self-esteem.
Self-Esteem Booster
Building, creating or planning something on their own is a fantastic way to boost a child’s confidence. Once a child can accomplish a task on their own, it not only reinforces there is no limit to their capabilities, it then boosts their self-esteem.
If at First You Don’t Succeed…
It is very rare for a child to try something new and succeed the first time. Since this is a theme that will be a part of their lifelong learning, shielding our child from failure means they won’t feel capable of trying to succeed on their own. If something they decide to do while they are bored doesn’t happen the way they wanted, they can learn from that experience and do things differently the next time. Kids are resilient and can overcome failure, and boredom can give them that opportunity.
Discovering New Interests
When children are bored, they are more ready to try something new like planting, making cookies or learning how to paint. When you give a child down time, you give them an opportunity to be creative and curious about what they like and don’t like.
Dangers of No Downtime
When children are overscheduled, they don’t have time to be kids. They tend not to eat well, sleep well, or connect with kids properly. This can lead to adulthood depression and anxiety and inability to make good decisions.
At the end of the day let kids have time to explore who they are and what they like about this world.
Becky Morrison is a Nurse Practitioner based out of Calgary who has specialized in mental health for over a decade. She is finally, after years of infertility, a mother of two busy little boys, and doting fur mom of her gentle giant, Stella. She is, and always will be, a strong advocate for mental wellness at all ages.
