The word “bored” is a loaded word for me. One of my greatest pet peeves is when I hear a child say, “I’m bored,” and then watch a parent snap to attention trying to amuse little Janey or Johnny. I want to step forward and say, “Let the little tyke be bored. He/She might discover that it’s fun to play outside or in their room or they might even do something novel like play a non-computer game with their friends.” Bored is one of those words that sends me out into the ring with the boxing gloves on.
I don’t think I was allowed to talk about “boredom” when I was a kid. My parents were as unsympathetic as I am now and merely opened the back door and said, “Go outside and play.” There was no play equipment outside in my yard to play on. No, I played up in the pecan tree or in the flowerbeds or on the lawn furniture that I flipped over and climbed up on. Boredom was not indulged in any way. “Go play!” meant go create a game for yourself and spend the afternoon playing it. Don’t bother us with complaints about not having enough stimulation.
I don’t ever remember being bored, though I suppose I sometimes was. But if I was, then I learned early on to combat those feelings with some sort of diversionary technique, usually involving a tree or a bike or a sprinkler I could run through if it was summer. Nothing high-tech or impressive, just whatever was available on that particular afternoon during my childhood.
Today I worry about kids whose parents snap to attention when they hear the “B” word. Those kids learn quickly that a little complaining goes a long way in getting them some sort of entertainment tool, whether it be a computer, tv, or Gameboy. Those kids also don’t learn what it’s like to just sit and use their imagination as a method to entertain themselves. Who knows how many good ideas have come into being because a person’s attention wasn’t diverted by some external form of entertainment? How many impromptu games have been played as a result of long, unplanned afternoons?
My own children learned early on that complaining about boredom was going to get them the “old school “ response of “Go outside and play.” As adults, they are a resourceful lot, I must say, and full of fun. They all love camping and hiking and general outdoor activities. They are all healthy, as well, which is also a benefit of outdoor play.
I believe kids need many fewer structured activities and much more time outside doing unstructured play. I think our children would be healthier and happier and so would their parents. Of course, parents can also benefit from being outside and playing, too. We might all be in a lot better shape – physically and mentally – if we spent a part of every day outside with nothing but nature as our playmate. We might have a lot more fun, too.
Comments