What to Do with Boredom
THey must learn to solve their boredom using the wonderful minds God Gave them.
By: Rebecca Little, Lower Elementary Principal
“I’m bored.”
How many times do we hear these words from our children? If the same is true today as it was when my children were younger, these words are uttered when they are not allowed on screens or the monotonous routine of everyday life is happening.
As parents, we may have the urge to quickly jump in with an entertaining or exciting activity, or we may feel guilty that we should play with them or create their fun. In today’s culture, we are constantly stimulated or entertained, so our children (and even us as adults) seem to struggle even more with down-time and the mundane, which can create a sense of restlessness.
Boredom allows us to grow
Being a parent and a teacher, the word “bored” was not accepted in my household or classroom. My sons knew that if they said, “I’m bored,” they would get the quick responses of “Go outside,” or “I can give you a list of chores that need to be done.” Of course, they never liked my response, but I knew that I was helping to train them for what to do with boredom.
It is best for us to realize that boredom is not a problem that needs to be eradicated but rather a state of mind that has the potential to produce ideas, resourcefulness, creativity, imagination, and self-discipline.
Children need to be bored because in the journey of life, they will experience the mundane of everyday activities and a lack of constant amusement. They must learn how to solve their own boredom using the wonderful minds God has given them.
Boredom ALLOWS US to have a healthier mind
On the flip side, we adults need to remember that being bored can be good for us as well. While I am sitting in a doctor’s office or waiting for a friend to meet me, I’m guilty of quickly picking up my phone to scroll through the latest email, Instagram posts, or entertain myself with a game. Instead, it would be healthier to let my mind have a respite and not fill the boredom with entertainment the phone or other screens can provide. Maybe if I practiced what I preached to my sons and students, my brain would be more productive, creative, calm, and relaxed.
Boredom ALLOW US TO BE STILL
Another benefit to boredom is it can bring us to a posture of “being still and knowing that He is God” (Psalm 46:10). What better for our minds to wander to and think upon when we are in the midst of the monotonous jobs of mowing grass, raking leaves, folding clothes, and washing dishes than our God. Learning the self-discipline of being quiet and thoughtful before God can bring us peace and joy.
Boredom is a gift
So, the next time you hear the words “I’m bored,” surprise your child and say, “Wonderful! Boredom is a gift. God has given you a beautiful mind, and it is your responsibility to use it.” Encourage them to break their boredom without any help from you.
And for us adults, the next time we have the urge to reach for our phone or other screens because we have a spare few minutes, maybe instead use the time to exercise our own minds to think and ponder. Who knows what our minds may surprise us with or what God will reveal to us?
God shows up in our messy places and transforms ordinary moments into holy ones.