NEW YORK – I have a few particularly vivid memories of my childhood summers: the smell of the grill, the rattle of cicadas and the feeling of being bored out of my mind.
A study cited in a 2018 New York Times article that lamented the relentlessness of modern parenting found that regardless of education, income or race, parents believed children who are bored should be enrolled in extra-curricular activities. Usually, that means the task you are doing is too easy or too difficult, she says or that it lacks meaning.
Boredom offers children an opportunity to experiment with the kinds of pursuits that feel fulfilling and interesting to them, Dr Westgate says.But they can learn to prevent that feeling, or resolve it, by finding activities that feel meaningful to them, whether that is counting bugs, playing with a ball or drawing with sidewalk chalk.
But parents should not expect kids to instinctively know what might feel meaningful to them. Instead, parents should remind their children of things they are interested in or care about, Dr Westgate says.