As a parent, one of the things I feared was when my kids get bored. So, I had toys, educational cartoons and nursery rhymes ready on standby for the minute my kids start to complain about boredom.
I thought that I if I kept my kids entertained and far away from the clutches of boredom, it would be for their own good. That was until I learned that boredom was actually good for my kids.
You may find it hard to believe. I know I had a hard time believing it too. But after experimenting it on my kids, I saw that my kids were more capable than I thought at handling boredom and using it for good.
Here are some reasons why boredom is sometimes good for your kids.
Boredom boosts creativity
As adults we know that creativity is something that is highly appreciated while building a career. So why not start helping our kids develop that skill right now?
Studies have shown that people get creative when they are bored. Boredom helps kids get to exercise their ability to imagine. This helps to spark their creativity and develop the skill to be creative which is what they will need when they grow to be adults.
Kids have powerful imaginations and boredom gives them that space to exercise their muscle to imagine.
Boredom helps kids shape their world views
Sometimes kids give the most profound insights. And when asked where they got those ideas from, they say they came up with it themselves or deduced it from what they observed.
I remember a kid running to tell his mother that seeking happiness is what makes life worthwhile. I found this shocking because that piece of insight is something you would never expect a child to come up with.
Boredom gets kids thinking. That period when boredom strikes could be the best time for your kids to come up with thoughts and ideas that will help shape their world views. Sometimes having that reflective moment helps kids process what they learn and produce ideas that will help them when they grow up.
Boredom helps kids to start taking responsibility over their life
This may seem like a big one, but boredom could be just the thing your child needs to start taking control over their life. Let’s face it: You won’t always be around to entertain your kids. When you allow them to get bored, they’ll find ways to entertain themselves.
They also start to learn that they need to be there for themselves and motivate themselves. Hovering around your kids trying your best to entertain them when they’re bored only teaches them that they’re the centre of the world. This could turn your kids into being selfish and even narcissistic several years down the line. This, however, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t play with your kids. What I mean is that you should also give your kids the chance to figure a way around boredom by themselves.
Allowing them to handle problems like boredom on their own, teaches them that they have what it takes to change a negative situation around for the better. And nothing teaches that better than kids experiencing it themselves.
