The summer of 2009 was when I started hearing, "I'm bored!" It wasn't a nice, "I'm bored!" but a whiny, discontent, "I'm bored!" My oldest boys were 7-1/2 and almost 9. Until that summer they did a great job entertaining themselves but I've found the older they get the harder it is to keep them "entertained."
Hearing them complain drove me nuts. We have a ton of toys, neighbor friends, parks, pools, games and they are allowed a little screen time each day. How could they be bored?
I decided that, "I'm bored" was not going to be part of our vocabulary. I sat them down and firmly but lovingly explained that whenever I heard the words, "I'm bored", they would lose media privileges a.k.a. screen time for the day.
It worked! After a few times of losing media privileges they stopped saying it. I did offer grace when one of them would slip an "I'm bored" without thinking. It happened. I also gave them a list of things to say instead of "I'm bored!"
"Mom, I need something to do."
"Mom, do you have any ideas for us?"
"Mom, I am feeling frustrated."
Moms of little ones, which I define as under age 5, might be thinking, "Those are things I am teaching my 2, 3 and 4 year old to say. Why is she teaching her 7-1/2 and 9 year old?" Well fellow moms, it takes years of gentle reminders and then, they still might not get it. After all, aren't we still learning things we should of known forever?
Tomorrow is our last day of school. Recently, we were discussing summer vacation over dinner. My middle son, who is 9-1/2, reminded us that they can't say, "I'm bored!" I had not even mentioned it, he remembered from last summer. I do not hear those words much during the school year since we are so busy but summer is a whole different schedule and I cannot wait!
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"I'm bored" are words not allowed to be said in our home! There is just too many things in life to do that it is not acceptable! ;o) I love hearing how you implicated this is your lives, as well!
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