With the summer holidays almost upon us, a lot of mums may be worrying about how they are going to keep the kids happy and amused for the next couple of months.
However, while it is important kids are stimulated and involved in activities, it is ok to let them be bored for a little while, and here’s why:
They must use their own imagination
Not having something planned for your little one every day, means they must resort to their own imagination in order to keep themselves entertained. This is a skill that your big kid will learn as they grow so avoid offering suggestions as to what they can do.
Why are they really bored?
When your youngster complains of being bored, it is usually because their routine has changed and what is normally planned for that day might not actually be scheduled. However, if you leave them to their own devices long enough they will eventually find something to stimulate their minds.
Being bored may just be exactly what they need
These days, children lead a very busy life with school, afterschool activities, homework and sports on the weekend - not to mention parties and family outings. However, being bored gives them the opportunity to really think about what they want to do and enjoy some down time.
The TV can be boring
Some kids can complain of being bored, even while they are sitting in front of the television. When this happens, turn it off so your child has to get up and find something to amuse themselves with.
They learn to play on their own
Often, ‘I’m bored’ comes from the mouth of a child who has nobody to play with. In this case encourage your child to find a book to read or to play with their toys alone. For the child who loves playing with others, being bored will help them to learn things about themselves by playing alone.
If your little one is bored enough they will eventually find something to do. Most kids don’t like sitting around for long periods of time doing nothing and this is the same when your little one is bored - they will eventually find something fun to do on their own initiative.
