Why we should let our children get bored
The importance of boredom.
12-year-old Zahir wakes up at 7 am every day. His day consists of school, tuitions, basketball and finally learning the piano.
What’s wrong with this?
Zahir’s schedule might seem like we are setting him up for a bright future. However, by keeping him busy constantly we don’t give him time to get bored.
Get bored? Why should we let our children get bored?
1. Encourages me time- If children are bored, they get time to sit with their thoughts. The more they let their thoughts settle, the more comfortable they get with it.
2. Enhance creativity- Children will try figuring out ways to keep themselves busy. If they are bored and they have paints near them. High chances that they will pick up those paints and start experimenting with them.
3. Reduced chances of unhealthy habits- As adults, we mindlessly scroll through our phones too. This is because we have developed an unhealthy habit of distracting ourselves. We don't want to sit our feelings or can't find ways to keep ourselves engaged. Children tend to pick this up and may resort to harmful ways of occupying themselves. If only we let them get bored, they will find healthy ways to deal with boredom.
Okay. So how do we "let" our children get bored?
1. Don't pack their schedule- Generally, a child's day is packed with school, tuitions, singing, dancing, sports, and anything in the world we can think of. We need to stop packing their schedule and leave at least 2 hours of the day unoccupied. These 2 hours as essential for them to reflect on what they are doing and spend time recharging themselves as well.
2. Let them figure out their boredom- If a child is constantly complaining "I am boooooored." It is not your responsibility to entertain them all the time. What you can do is give them a hint or a prompt and then let them figure it out.
3. Don't give up- This might seem obvious but this is the most important point. If a child is getting bored, giving them an electronic device seems like the best way to keep them quiet. But, that doesn't help a child in the wrong run. Let them take charge of their boredom.
Remember, there is no harm in getting bored. It is important to keep some time free in order to reflect and understand ourselves better. By letting our children get bored, we are bringing up adults who are comfortable spending time with themselves.