Why you Should Let Your Child be bored this spring break

“I’m bored.”

Boredom, though uncomfortable for most people, is an emotion our kids and teens frequently complain about. Screen time typically helps distract from this feeling, but it can encourage them to avoid confronting the discomfort of boredom.

Not all families are fortunate enough to go on vacations this spring break, so many families are staying home. While spring break trips can provide children with great experiences and memories, allowing your child to experience boredom at home during spring break also has its benefits.

Boredom Opens Opportunities for Creativity

Boredom allows your child to tap into their imagination and creativity for entertainment. Instead of relying on external stimuli (like screens), your child is empowered to find activities they want to do. Whether it’s drawing, cooking, building a fort, or playing with their toys, allowing your child to be bored gives them the chance to discover activities they enjoy and can return to in the future.

Boredom Develops Problem-Solving Skills

Is your child going to be excited about being bored? Probably not. There will likely be complaining, whining, and requests for you to suggest something to do. However, they will often respond “no” to most suggestions, which is completely normal. Instead of providing solutions immediately, let them figure out what they want to do next.

While it's natural for children to want to escape boredom, this challenge encourages them to come up with their own solutions. Allowing your child to independently figure out an activity can strengthen their problem-solving skills. They will try different ideas, discover what they enjoy, and build a mental toolbox for future moments of boredom.

Boredom Develops Independence

Spending quality time with your children is an important part of their development and a key factor in the parent-child relationship. However, kids who are highly uncomfortable with being bored may seek constant adult attention to entertain them.

That said, if your child is asking to spend time with you, it’s important to engage with them. Be sure to check in with your child to see how they’re feeling and spend time with them when possible.

For parents who need to work or tend to other responsibilities, allowing your child to be bored can teach them how to be independent. There will be times when they are on their own, and boredom can help them develop the skills to stay self-sufficient. This means you can take a much-needed break while giving your child the chance to grow in independence.

Boredom Allows for Kids to Be Present with Themselves

Feeling bored provides an opportunity for your child to reflect on why they dislike it. How does it feel in their body? How does boredom affect their thoughts? What physical sensations arise when they’re bored?

By encouraging your child to ask themselves these questions, they’ll begin to develop emotional self-regulation skills. Boredom invites them to pause and check in with their emotions, helping them connect with their feelings and build emotional intelligence.

Boredom Allows Kids to Develop Resilience

As your children grow, there will be plenty of scenarios where they’ll have to be okay with being bored. Whether it’s in class, at an assembly, during a church service, or at a family function, it’s important for your child to know how to persevere without relying on screens to get through it.

Being able to tolerate boredom is a necessary skill that children need to develop. Teach your child that it’s okay to feel bored, and allow them to build the coping skills they’ll need to self-regulate in the future.

Being bored at home offers a controlled environment where children can develop these skills, so they’re better prepared to handle boredom in other situations outside the home.

Having Conversations with Your Child About Boredom

Having open conversations with your child about boredom is essential. Explain the benefits of boredom and what you hope they’ll gain from unstructured time. These conversations provide an opportunity to explore the emotion of boredom together, helping to remove the stigma surrounding it and showing that it’s not something to fear, but rather something to learn from.

5 Ways to Help Your Child Transition from Pre-K to Kindergarten

Back to School

As the new school year approaches, so does the transition from Pre-K to Kindergarten. While this period is marked by excitement, the change can also pose challenges for incoming kindergartners and their caregivers.

Kindergarten introduces a new schedule, school environment, classmates, teachers, and expectations—all of which can feel overwhelming.

This transition may lead to both physical and emotional fatigue for your new kindergartner, and you might observe changes in their mood and behavior.

Here are 5 strategies to help you support your child and ensure a smooth transition into kindergarten.

Create a Visual Schedule

The arrival of the new school year also brings about a fresh schedule for your child and family. Utilizing a visual schedule offers a multitude of benefits. Since your new kindergartner might not yet be able to read, a visual schedule aids their comprehension and anticipation of daily routines and activities through clear visual cues.

Engage in Storytelling

Prior to and during the transition, storytelling can serve as a valuable tool to prepare your child for kindergarten. Caregivers and siblings can share personal stories about their positive experiences during their own kindergarten years. Reading books to your child about starting school can also be helpful.

Establish an After-School Routine

A comforting after-school routine allows your child to decompress and process their day. This doesn't necessarily require an extensive period of time; a quick 20-30 minutes of rest and a snack can provide ample opportunity for your child to unwind and discuss their school day experiences.

Talking about Emotions 

Although we want our incoming kindergarteners to have positive experiences during this transition, they may also experience negative emotions as well. A way to support your child is to encourage them to talk about how their day went and ask if they’re having difficulties with anything. It’s important to listen attentively and validate all their emotions! 

Celebrating the Wins 

It’s important to celebrate your child’s wins no matter how small! Some examples of achievements can be independently dressing themselves, completing their morning routine, transitioning into school easily, saying goodbye comfortably, and making new friends. In order to motivate your child to do these behaviors again, it’s important to praise your child to reinforce these behaviors when you see them!

By using these strategies, you can help ease the transition for your child as they step into the world of kindergarten. Remember that each child's journey is unique, so maintaining patience and responsiveness is key throughout this process.