If it were up to my eight-year-old, he would happily spend an entire day rotating between video games and TV watching. This is especially true in the summer when neighborhood friends are scarce and such defaults as plugged-in-play are easy alternatives. He would choose screen time over family time, baseball time, meal time and practically any other time including bathroom time. Once, he was hopping around so much, I insisted he take a break on behalf of mother nature. "But Mom, I can hold it just until I get the new high score!"

Nancy Cangelosi owns and operates two Primrose Schools in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. She emphasizes the importance of active play and encourages parents to be prepared for the inevitable "I'm Bored!" Cangelosi says, "Before kids come to their parents and complain that they're bored, parents can have a plan in place!" She recommends creating a "Boredom Buster Jar": This involves decorating a simple jar and writing ideas of things to do inside the jar. The next time someone says "I'm bored!," kids draw an activity from the jar. Some ideas for the jar might include: planning, packing and enjoying a picnic in the backyard; building a fort, pretending you're at camp; planning a scavenger hunt, etc.

So when it comes down to it, You Are What You Do. If you act like a couch potato, your body and mind will adjust accordingly. It's the same for your kids. When our children our young, we still have some power to teach them appropriate habits. Let's get them out from in front of the screen and into activities that make them what they'll want to be--active, creative, minds in healthy bodies--just the sort of people they see on TV.

2 Comments

Jennifer Augustus said:

Good Morning Paige,

My name is Jennifer Augustus. I just watched your segment on boredom busters. My dilemma is that I have a 14 year old son and a 12 year old daughter (will be 13 in a couple of months). What can I do to get them not to be so bored? All they want to do is sleep, be on the gaming system all day (my son and his xbox 360) or the computer. I really like the idea of the boredom buster jar but that may be to age level inappropriateness.
My son is at Boy scout camp along with her friend/boyfriend and so she is bored, I asked her to think about what she would like to do so we can spend some time together and of course I know that she wants to go shopping and all the fun stuff but we are strapped trying to get ready for school, we cant afford to just go "blow money like she would like" . Please HELP!!!!!!!!!!! Thank You, Jennifer Augustus

July 29, 2008 10:17 AM

Lori said:

Great idea to plan ahead!

August 4, 2008 7:16 PM

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