How many parents out there have ever heard those irksome words "I'm bored" out of your children's mouths? (all heads nodding yes, me too!). For me, this occurred on Christmas day just hours after my child opened their presents. To which in my head I replied "Oh honey, I can make sure these presents you just opened find new owners if they are really THAT boring".
In his book, Atomic Habits, James Clear says: "The greatest threat to success is not failure, but boredom. We get bored with habits because they stop delighting us. The outcome becomes expected. And as our habits become ordinary, we start derailing our progress to seek novelty. Perhaps this is why we get caught up in a never-ending cycle, jumping from one workout to the next, one diet to the next, one business idea to the next. As soon as we experience the slightest dip in motivation, we begin seeking a new strategy—even if the old one was still working."
For us to truly master anything, we need to be able to get cozy with the boredom of it all. We need to consistently keep showing up, keep pushing through, keep doing the work we are doing even when we don't want to or don't feel like it.
Boredom is a pesky thing. It can drive us crazy sometimes. Other times it can make us feel insecure or inadequate. Other times it makes us think about some of those deep questions, to which some of us are quite ready to explore (why am I here, who am I, am I a good person, what do others think of me, what do I think of me, is God real, what is heaven like, etc.).
But did you know, allowing yourself and your children to reach the point of boredom now and then is actually a really terrific thing? If you talk to any number of doctors, be it a therapist or counselor, they will likely all agree that boredom has some wonderful benefits:
Boredom encourages imagination and creativity
Boredom allows us to develop planning strategies, problem-solving skills, flexibility and organizational skills
Boredom teaches us how to regulate our emotions when things aren’t going our way
Boredom teaches us skills on how to manage our frustrations
Boredom can develop interpersonal skills
Boredom can improve self-esteem and mental health
Boredom teaches us grit and resilience
Boredom helps develop independence and autonomy over our own happiness and well-being
So the next time you find yourself or your children bored, consider it a blessing and an opportunity friend. Being bored likely means you have some free time to start that house project, watch that sermon you have just been meaning to get around to watching, or finally reading a few pages of that awesome book on your bedside table.
As for your children- boredom is simply part of growing up. Let's not take away those precious learning opportunities by planning out every second of their day. Instead, next time we hear those irritating words "I'm boooooored", let's give them some construction paper, tape, scissors, and crayons and see what they create. It might just surprise you how many of our kiddos are budding interior designers, architects, fashion designers, or crime scene investigators (Haha- that's a story for another time).
"So you catch me when I fall, right?
And you hear me when I call cryin'?
And you fix me when I'm broke, right?
And that's all I need to know
So the storm is gonna break right?
And the sun is gonna start shining
And everything is gonna go right
And that's all I need to know"