I’m a fun mom. My kids know they can usually count on me to join them for Play-Doh sessions, Lego building, painting, coloring, engaging in jigsaw puzzles, or diving into storytime. I’ve crafted countless snowmen and built innumerable sand castles. I gladly involve them in baking, tidying up, raking leaves, and shoveling snow. If they catch me in a playful mood, I might even join them for hopscotch or a game of hide-and-seek. We frequently meet friends at the park and make regular trips to the library. You can find me on the back porch blowing bubbles for as long as it takes until someone accidentally spills the bottle—usually about 20 minutes.
However, amidst the laughter and playfulness of our daily lives, there are times when boredom strikes. I work from home, and since my brain shuts down around 10 p.m., regardless of how much coffee I consume, I have to devote some of their daylight hours to work. Occasionally, we’re stuck indoors for days due to cold weather. And then there are those dreaded moments when, oh no!—Netflix malfunctions.
On these rare occasions, my kids express their boredom in dramatic fashion, complete with flailing arms and deep sighs, ultimately culminating in a whiny “plaaay with me” that makes my skin crawl. I know I’m not alone in this experience, but sometimes it feels like I’m the only mom who believes it’s a valuable lesson.
According to my Pinterest feed, the expectation is that I should drop everything and craft a dollhouse from a shoebox, turn the living room into a racetrack with masking tape, or create rainbow-colored rice. Do all the other moms really do this? As a first-time parent, I thought they did, and I tried my best to keep up.
I “helped” my toddler create some rather strange-looking owls and bunnies from paper bags. I cut a mountain of tissue paper into shapes for stained glass that didn’t reflect any color, no matter where I hung them. One holiday season, we attempted a gingerbread house with graham crackers, only to devour it before the frosting had a chance to set. It was delicious, though!
The irony of these boredom-busting activities is that they can be incredibly tedious for the adult. With little ones, there’s no shortage of tedium—diapers to change, socks to match, and noodles to stir. Not to mention the joys of potty training, poop jokes, and cleaning up messes. Need I go on?
Now, as a more experienced mom of two, I’ve decided to stop boring myself just to spare my kids from feeling that discomfort. When my daughters tell me they’re bored after we finish baking or coloring, I often respond with something equally annoying like, “I’m sure you’ll come up with something fun to do soon. You always do!” or “Look around! You’re surrounded by toys and have each other! I know you can figure this out!” Then, I retreat to my computer to work or sneak off to the bathroom with a book. Sometimes I tackle the laundry, which means I might just lean my forehead against the cold dryer, questioning if I’m a lazy, selfish, or just plain odd mom for letting my kids navigate their own boredom.
Despite the discomfort for all involved, the silver lining of this hands-off parenting style is that it’s quick and effective. On average, it takes less than 10 minutes for the whining to transform into joyful chatter.
Of course, their creative solutions can sometimes lead to messes or chaos that are worse than the initial whining. Once, I left the bathroom to find my two-year-old testing out the stickiness of stickers on every surface (spoiler: it sticks to everything!), while my five-year-old was busy emptying her closet in search of the “perfect outfit” for the “royal vampire wedding,” for which I was graciously invited.
But, as long as their newfound ability to entertain themselves doesn’t involve me cleaning up colorful grains of rice, I’m sticking to my approach—even if it means I’m the only mom without a “Boredom Busters” Pinterest board.
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In summary, navigating boredom can be a challenge, but allowing kids to explore their own creativity can foster independence and problem-solving skills. Embracing a little messiness might just be part of the journey.