Did you know that "boredom" can build skills?
During weekends, school vacations, or other "down time", you might hear you daughter declare, "I'm bored" in reaction to the lack of activity, agenda or schedule that kids often look to, to define their time. However, this is the perfect opportunity for her own imagination and creativity to grow, and for her to become increasingly independent and self-sufficient in managing her free time. Resist the temptation to provide "solutions" to her "boredom problem." You might need to help her see her choices but avoid giving suggestions unless absolutely necessary – start with "Well, let's think about this – what are some things you could do?" She may start by listing off all of the choices that are unavailable to her to prove to you that she really has "nothing" to do! If she says, "Well, everyone's doing things with their families today and noone's around to play with or to get together with", you might gently respond, "Well, that is too bad that noone is around for you to play with – so what are some things that you might enjoy doing by yourself/on your own…?" Then see if she can come up with her own ideas, which will allow her to focus on resolving the problem herself and will help her feel empowered as she uses her creativity and good thinking to take control of the situation. If she struggles to come up with an idea, you could suggest the two of you brainstorm a written list of ideas – she can use the list as a resource of ideas right then and in the future. If she continues to complain, remind her that all she needs to do is make a choice and leave her alone to do just that. Working through her "boredom" will teach her a lesson in taking care of herself.
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