The news is slowly trickling in, it looks like many camps are going to be closed for the summer. Kids are sad and parents are groaning. It looks like we are going to be hearing a lot of “I’m so bored!” or “There is nothing to do!” Parents and children are going to have to get creative and learn to deal with ennui.
Here is a plan to do just that:
1. Change your mindset:
It’s time for monotony and tedium to take its rightful place in the sun. There are many positive aspects to boredom. Most experts agree, it makes you more creative. It causes your mind to wander leading to more associative and imaginative ways of thinking.
It might just be better to call it downtime. This is something modern people have very little of. When we take the time to stop and do nothing, we make room to think about our dreams and our goals. We then also have the time to plan appropriately.
The philosopher, Bertrand Russel, says:
“A life too full of excitement is an exhausting life, in which continually stronger stimuli are needed to give the thrill that has come to be thought an essential part of pleasure…. A certain power of enduring boredom is therefore essential to a happy life, and is one of the things that ought to be taught to the young.”
As for kids, boredom leads to daydreaming. It revitalizes children and is important for their healthy development. It actually gives their brains a break, so that they can concentrate and focus.
This summer can be that lazy summer where children and hopefully adults can get the boredom break that they need.
2. The ordinary is extraordinary:
This summer might just be the time to take stock on how extremely valuable those boring routines, the minutiae in our lives, are. It’s the little things that make up the fabric of our lives. The waking our children up in the morning with a smile, getting them to brush their teeth, making sure the breakfast we serve is somewhat healthy. It’s listening to them tell you the same story for the 10th time, watching them turn a cartwheel, brushing their hair and wiping the smudges off their cheeks. It’s logging them on to zoom and making sure they are paying attention and doing their homework. All those boring things, those small things, day in and day out, are what builds strong and loving families.
At the end of each day this summer, take a minute and review all those humdrum, unexciting moments, and give yourself a pat on the back:
“I made her lunch.”
“I tucked him into bed and sat with him for 5 minutes.”
“I did the laundry.”
“I smiled even though I was feeling mad.”
“I cooked dinner.”
We can get through this time, even if we are bored doing it!
Check out my new book! Preparing Kids for Life!
