When did it become wrong to be bored? This is something I’ve been thinking a lot about lately. When I was growing up there was the odd after school sport or weekend activity at the local community centre but nowadays it seems that if your kids aren’t busy every waking moment of the day, you must be doing something wrong! Don’t get me wrong, my kids have participated in their fair share of swimming lessons and t-ball, and they were on many school teams but when I listen to other parents list their itineraries for the coming week, it makes me wonder first of all how they fit it all in and secondly, when do they have time to just be together as a family?
I have to be honest, I love my children with all of my heart and want the best for them always, but I also don’t want to be zipping all over town 7 days a week, 24 hours day. It’s not that I don’t agree with extra curricular activities, on the contrary I think they’re great for fitness, meeting new people, working as a team and having fun. It’s more the sheer volume of activities that some are involved in. The rule in our house was and is “school comes first” and I wonder if, as a society, we’re pushing that further down the list of priorities. Sports tournaments seem to be taking kids out of the classrooms more and more. A Friday here, a Monday there, they all add up, causing our kids to play a constant game of catch-up with their school work. Another thing we strive for in our home is a sit-down meal as often as possible. 90% of the time we all sit down at the same time, eat the same food and talk about the day or whatever. I love that. Some of my fondest memories of my childhood are meals around the table and the conversations we’d have about nothing in particular. After dinner and cleanup my family finishes homework, takes the dog for a walk, watches some t.v., reads, whatever. We rarely have anything planned on a weeknight so my kids have to figure out how to fill in their time on their own.
My daughter loves to draw. If every moment of our free time was scheduled, I’m afraid she’d never get to do the thing she loves best. Out of boredom comes imagination, creativity and fresh ideas. I guess the reason I’m writing about this is because every once in a while I look around at others and second guess whether Bryan and I have done enough for our kids but they are doing well in school, they’re happy, have minimal stress and are seemingly well rounded kids so, yes, I guess it is enough. We will continue to embrace the boredom!!
What does your family like to do together?
What is your fondest childhood memory?