Families For Life | If your child is bored, you’re parenting right!

 Imagine this: It’s a hot afternoon, your children are plastered to you and they’ve spent ten minutes wailing about their boredom. What would you do?

It’s easy to give in to temptation and hand over the iPad. Maybe you’ll think about piano classes or swimming lessons. It’s hard to pick the best for your child, but sometimes the best thing to do is nothing at all!

Boredom can be beneficial for our little ones, and we should teach them how to embrace the occasional downtime. Read on to find out why you might want your child to feel bored.

A Little Boredom Goes a (Life)Long Way

As children decide what to do with their free time, they are also picking up important life skills. Self-driven activities prompted by questions like “What should I do today?” are a sign that they are learning to take initiative and develop problem-solving skills.

Let your little explorer’s mind wander, and you’ll help their imagination grow and encourage them to think outside the box. Don’t forget that unstructured and self-guided play is an important way for growing children to learn about the world! Give them some free time to flex their creativity, and you’ll be prepping your precious tot for life.

Bored Children Become Independent Adults

While it’s tempting to cater to every whim, little minds need a little space to become self-sufficient. That’s where boredom comes in.

Boredom is often a sign of downtime in an otherwise structured life. As our little ones mature, this lull in the barrage of screens and attention will help them come to terms with the fact that life isn’t about being entertained 24/7.

Let them freely navigate their boredom and they will become independent. This way, you can also help your child grow into a mindful adult without the need for someone to keep them happy. More importantly, children left to their own devices will grow up having more control over their well-being!

Ultimately, don’t be afraid to let them explore an unpleasant but undeniably important part of life.

It’s an Opportunity for Self-discovery

Just like adults, our little ones need their me-time. It’s during these peaceful moments that our children find out more about themselves.

To help them along, you can come up with a list of activities to do during their downtime. Let your child run through the list by themselves and discover which activities they gravitate towards. This leaves wandering minds free to discover their personal interests, talents, or hobbies – important aspects of your child that will stay with them for life!

So, next time your child starts yawning, don’t reach for the iPad – encourage them to find interesting ways to spend their time and watch them grow.