Today’s parents often feel immense pressure to fill every moment of their children’s lives, fearing the dreaded question, "I’m bored. What should I do now?" But what if boredom is actually beneficial? This is explored by Sandi Mann, a psychologist at the University of Central Lancashire, and author of "The Science of Boredom."
Mann has studied boredom for nearly 20 years and believes that our fear of it is overblown. "If I could give one message to parents, it would be: don’t fear boredom! Allow it to enter your and your child’s life. It’s a natural emotion, a search for stimulation when none exists," she explains.
Boredom is something we experience from infancy throughout our lives. Babies constantly seek stimulation as they try to understand the world around them, which is essential for their discovery process. If we learn to respond to boredom healthily, it can lead to creativity. This means engaging in activities that provide long-term satisfaction rather than immediate rewards.
Technology has created a new norm of constant engagement, leading parents to worry about their children’s boredom. However, Mann emphasizes that allowing children to feel boredom encourages them to discover inspired ways to entertain themselves.
When we’re bored, we start thinking and using our imagination. Despite the many opportunities for stimulation available, the quick fixes for our brains can be harmful. Instead of providing endless anti-boredom ideas, parents should let their children languish and think.
Playing alone, creating, and engaging are crucial skills for healthy human development. As parents, it’s our responsibility to nurture imagination and creativity. Think of them as seeds; boredom is the water for these seeds. If we don’t allow our children to experience boredom, we risk stunting their imaginative and creative capacities.
Boredom leads to adventures, risk-taking, and stimulates thinking, which will help children better cope with periods of inactivity as they grow older. Accepting boredom is beneficial not just for children’s development, but for parents as well. It helps you discover resources and inventive ways to satisfy your own brain.
The best part about boredom is that you don’t have to do much. Forget structured activities or high-tech toys, and set aside electronic devices. Here are some ideas: household decor items, recycled plastic bottles, cardboard boxes, and kitchen pots and pans can all stimulate creativity. Provide your child with such "toys" and let them find meaning in their play.
Observe what catches your child’s attention and ask them questions. Discussing feelings and letting them invent stories about their imaginary world can deepen the experience. Children learn faster from what they see than from what they are told. Create a favorite corner in your home where they can read or relax, encouraging them to build their own imaginative space.
Let them explore parks or your backyard without interference, even if they seem bored. If they express a desire to try activities like karate or painting because a friend does, allow them to choose rather than deciding for them. Extracurricular activities shouldn’t merely extend school learning; children, like adults, need to feel they are doing something they enjoy.
Ultimately, do children really get bored, or do parents fear their little ones might complain about not knowing what to do? The truth is, we’ve lost confidence in our children’s ability to tolerate or even thrive during unstructured time. Technology is not the solution; in boredom, individuals discover that they can be a worthy destination for their own attention, learning to feel good about themselves and uncovering new aspects of their identity.