How To Deal When Your Child Says They Are Feeling Bored
Do you remember all those times you complained to your parents over and over about how bored you were as a child?
And now that you’re a parent yourself, your kid is doing the same exact thing. It’s funny how karma comes back around.
It probably drives you nuts to hear your kid whine about being bored, so your instinctual response may be to yell in frustration, roll your eyes, or point out the number of toys available at their disposal.
In this age of technology, it can also be tempting just to turn on the TV or stick a tablet in front of your child’s face to quickly occupy them with something so they can get out of your hair as soon as possible.
While you may be sick and tired of your child’s cries of boredom, boredom itself is not necessarily a negative thing, although that’s how we as a society view it.
If you can change the way you look at boredom, you’ll come to realize that boredom can actually be beneficial and healthy for your kid, and you’ll be able to respond to it with more patience.
When kids are experiencing a state of idleness, that is time they can take to expand their imaginations and come up with new activities to do.
Boredom is a feeling that leads to the development of many important life skills, such as problem-solving, taking the initiative, self-reliance, and perseverance.
They are learning to figure out how to entertain themselves. So when parents butt in with a quick fix in the form of technology, they’re taking away their child’s ability to build independence and deal with boredom in the future.
soupstock – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual child
Then, how should parents handle their child’s boredom, if not with exasperation or by giving them more screen time?
It’s best to stay neutral when your kid tells you they’re bored. Validate your child’s feelings, and don’t try to fix their problem.
Instead, inform them in a supportive manner that you think they can find a source of entertainment on their own.
If your child is stuck, you can also provide a little assistance by sitting down with them and brainstorming ideas together on what to do to alleviate their boredom. Then, the next time they’re inevitably bored again, they can refer to the list of activities.
Letting your child manage their own time will encourage them to take action and give them the opportunity to demonstrate their creativity and resourcefulness.
You might be in for a lovely surprise when you see what they come up with!
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