• Like many things in life, boredom can have positive and negative effects.

• Coping with boredom results in beneficial skills and avoids some negative reactions.

• Allowing children to learn how to cope with boredom assists them as they enter adulthood.

“I’m bored.”

What do adults do when a child says this?

Often adults feel guilt or annoyance.

They may step in and organize activities for the child.

But there are good reasons to let boredom happen.

GOOD / POSITIVE:

• Boredom can be useful and helpful.

• Boredom can teach us that life isn’t always being active or entertained.

• Experiencing boredom can result in positive outcomes.

• Boredom can generate curiosity which is an important trait.

• It can promote creativity and self-confidence.

• Inspiration and innovation can be cultivated by children having unattended time.

• Boredom encourages human involvement in adventure and exploration.

• Boredom leads to self-discipline and resourcefulness and can teach constructive responses and self-management.

Yet, we should be aware that boredom may have negative results.

BAD / NEGATIVE:

• Boredom can be dangerous and lead to a disruptive state of mind.

• The search for an escape could sometimes push people to take risks that eventually hurt them.

• Bored people may turn to unhealthy behaviours.

• A propensity to be bored has been linked to a tendency to smoke, drink too much, and take drugs.

• It can damage health and shorten life.

The sooner it’s learned how to make life interesting, the better life will be.

Life isn’t an endless parade of amusements.

It isn’t always the task of someone else to entertain and educate others.

Not every moment can be optimized, maximized, and goal oriented.

When bored, it is important to work out what to do and make something positive happen.

Unless faced with tedious boredom, we may never learn how to cope.

It’s especially important that children get bored — and allowed to stay bored — when they’re young. 

We’ve stopped training children to do this.

It sounds like work, and it sounds like life.

Life is not easy and has to be figured out.

Allowing children to be bored can help them as they proceed to adulthood.

A PARENT’S GUIDE:

There is a guide available which assists parents and others working with youth.

The guide enables a person to be proactive in the success of a child’s future.

It contains activities to assist youth to gain critical soft skills.

They will become more resourceful and independent when they practice and gain these skills.

The guide is available from Our Future Leaders.

Request the Parent’s Guide here: http://www.ourfutureleaders.ca/contact-us/