In today’s world where our children are hooked to screens from sunrise to sunset in the form of online teaching aids in school and usage of personal gadgets, it’s become a popular belief among parents that keeping kids busy is the key to their success and happiness. This results in parents trying their best to fill their calendars with classes, extracurricular activities, and structured playdates, all in the hopes of bringing up a child that is not addicted to the digital overload. The reality, however, is far from it. We need to slow down. Allow the kids some respite. Let their minds wander into nothingness, let them experience boredom, the feeling of doing things that do not make sense to the others. Yes, boredom is that secret ingredient to creativity and inspiration—and has been ignored in pursuit of creating a tailormade world for our little ones.
What is boredom, one might ask. It is akin to that sweet, hollow feeling that washes over you, that results in creative bursts alongside existential crises. When are kids bored? When they have too much to study, too many assignments to complete, too many classes to attend, have to follow a set schedule et al. They just want to break away from this order of things and be in a world where the mind can wander on its own will.
When kids are relentlessly engaged in a multitude of planned activities, they’re not really given the chance to think for themselves. Sure, they learn many skills like arts, sports, music, but it all takes away from them an opportunity to be with themselves without a goal. It makes them miss the opportunity for true creativity that reveals itself in the midst of boredom.
Studies show that allowing children to be bored can enhance creativity and problem-solving skills. Be it staring at the ceiling aimlessly, counting the number of paint drops on the wall, or wrestling with their thoughts. It’s during these moments that new patterns emerge, new ideas take shape and the feeling of EUREKA sets in.
Boredom encourages kids to explore their surroundings and come up with their own games or stories. Of course, the last thing we want is for them to transform the living room into a wrestling arena featuring plush toys as combatants. But you’ll be surprised—those pillow fights can unleash fierce negotiation skills!
Now, while we are all for creativity, wisdom is key! If your child says, “I’m bored!”, a classic Indian parent response could be: “If you’re bored, you can help me clean the house or fold the clothes!” This mixed approach of doing productive things to weed out boredom might seem like a good solution but it is activities like these which might prevent the creativity setting in.
Instead, we must allow boredom to foster independence. When children are left with nothing to do, they learn to self-entertain. That boredom could pave the path to independence, allowing them to find hobbies or interests truly meaningful to them, rather than doing activities forcibly.
Boredom enhances imagination. A bored kid rides high on the imagination horse and finds things around him assume personas impossible to foresee in the real world. A cardboard box becomes a spaceship to Mars, while a broomstick instantly transforms them into a wizard finding the hidden elixir or creating the next spell.
Kids innately learn problem-solving skills while they tackle boredom. An attempt to make a castle using home linen and pillows teaches them lessons in resourcefulness and managing with meagre things firsthand. These are precisely the skills needed in adult life to navigate.
Kids often trying to be creative face failure multiple times before the idea in their head becomes a reality. This teaches them the values of patience and resilience. As they learn to cope with an empty day, they develop skills that may keep them calmer when faced with real challenges later on. An outrage of not being able to play outdoors due to rains becomes a creative pursuit of rescuing an imaginary friend from the torrential downpour all from being perched in the balcony and watching the pouring raindrops.
However, there is a thin line between trying to be creative while being bored and whiling away one’s time aimlessly. Boredom cannot be a ticket to binge-watch favorite cartoon shows or teen dramas.
As parents, we must create a balance where kids have some ‘me time’ without feeling like it’s a punishment. Boredom can be a great stimulator only if it is not allowed to be converted to a mindless activity.
So the next time your child complains of boredom, cheer them on! Let them learn, explore, and innovate in their own unique ways. Who knows? You might be nurturing the next big inventor, artist, or just a kid who knows how to find endless fun in a single cardboard box. So sit back, take a sip of chai, and embrace the glorious, wonderful, and oh-so-important journey of boredom!
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