>> CHILDREN NEED TO LEARN HOW TO

CONQUER BOREDOM

Boredom happens. For teens and adults, it’s a choice out of many possibilities. For young children, it’s a choice too, but one made due to lack of experience in knowing or remembering all of the options. Children need to learn how not to be bored. Parents can help children learn to avoid boredom by reminding them of their alternatives, including past and new activities. Parents should not feel obligated to always entertain their children. Sometimes children need to learn how to entertain themselves!

Ask your children to list 20 or more things that they can do all by themselves (reading, drawing, etc.). Save this list and present it to them the next time they say, “There’s nothing to do.” It reminds them of fun things to do. Other boredom stoppers are: unopened junk mail (let the kids open the mail and fill out the forms they find), watching home videos, dominoes (line them up, then knock them down by pushing one against another) and puzzles.

Dorothy Parker said it best: “The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.” Create situations that will trigger your child’s natural curiosity. Place two or more large cardboard boxes in your living room, drape a large blanket over a table and scatter library books on a variety of topics around your house. Think of creative possibilities.
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GARAGE FUN ON A RAINY DAY During a recent rainy day, I moved the car out of the garage and brought in all my children’s large, plastic outdoor toys (small slide, seesaw, basketball hoop, etc.). Our garage turned into an outdoor play area where the children spent the entire afternoon. – Elaine M., San Diego