Bored

Kelly · Bored

So you know how it goes. Standing at the school gates two weeks ago all I could hear was the meticulous planning of holiday enetertainments.
At least one child had a whole six weeks of week long camps (9am-3pm) planned. Football, music, drama, crafts, lion tameing....Ok, maybe I made that last one up, but you get the idea.
What ever happened to children being given the oppotunity to get BORED! (collective gasp of horror from yummy mummies all over the UK).
A child that has every waking moment planned out for them will never know the joy of working something cool out to do because they were bored, they simply won't have time.
I know one mum who wouldn't even let her kids make a den in the garden without her supervision. She totally took it over then sat in it with them while they looked glum.
When I was a kid (I turned 30 last week, so we are talking eons ago

) I remember spending the fist week of the summer holidays slumped in front of the telly. But I needed it, like a school detox. By week two I had usually pulled myself back up and got into DOING stuff. Never supervised but lots of fun.
Its good that kids have the option to do things, but do you think any of the worlds greatest thinkers or inventors would have changed the world for the better if they had spent their childhoods having all their thinking done for them??
Next time the kids whine that they are bored, tell them to find something to do themselves instead of working it all out for them, not only will you foster their imagination and invention but you also get to have a little of that six weeks to yourself!!

wildgarlic

What an excellent post!!!

Diana

Do people have kids that can cope with the things their parents did during summer hols?

When I was a kid that would be going out on my bike, playing with friends (outdoors), walking to the shops with my Mum 2ce a week and walking back with the weeks worth of shopping (

now surely they'd not cope with that one!). I wasn't an only child, but my brothers are so much older than me that I might as well have been so there was a lot of me and my bear doing stuff together as I recall.

Kelly

I just remembered having to take our washing (and little sister) to the laundrette one summer! Oh the hours of fun! But you know what? I sometimes took a book (A what? Yes children a b-o-o-k, with words in it. No, no buttons.) or used my finley honed imagination to see me through the boerdom. It prepares you for adult life, coping with the monotonus stuff that jobs or babies bring, helping you to keep on top of the day instead of having a nervous breakdown everytime you have to entertain yourself.
I for one think one hours day dreaming should be worked in to the national curicullum for the health of our children!!

lachlanandmarcus · Boredom

I couldnt agree more!

In 1976 in the drought, I spent an entire summer holiday picking gravel our of the tar of our melted road to build little towers (most of the tar eventually ending up on my best dresses), and throughout wee years I spent all of my free time
(i) visiting old man and his dog because I liked the dog

(ii) riding bike alone for hours in the pine woods and sand dunes

(iii) jumping (no horse obviously, mean mean parents) over jumps course I had constructed on the common field

(iv) making record breaking daisy chains for my toys to wear

I feel SO sorry for children nowadays

wildgarlic

I remember visiting our elderly neighbours every Saturday morning - we'd bake cakes together and enjoy decorating them - and of course eating them too. Lovely old couple. Would be frowned upon by many nowadays of course.

IslandLassie

I haven't planned on single day out for my two. They have made their own fun each day. Granted, they have been stuck inside a fair bit because of the crappy weather and we have had one or two minor scuffles (LOL), but they have been finding their own stuff to do the whole time! If they have wanted to do stuff with me, they have asked me. So whilst we have done baking and been out for walks etc, it's all been their idea.

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