It's GOOD for children to experience boredom...

A lot of our children live like prisoners. It's a totally unnatural state. They are taken to and collected from school. They have organised, adult supervised after school and weekend activities. They never have the chance to go out alone or with other children. They never get the chance to do things without adults watching.

I grew up on a building site and, although now as an adult I cringe, I and other children used the partially built houses as a playground. We climbed, ran, played block and a host of other games. OK we took a lot of risks and I'm sure health and safety would have a fit but we had a great time and we learned a lot about ourselves and how to relate to others.

Children have no freedom now. Maybe that is a reason why they're so unhappy.

Well apparently there are measures but i suppose the only way is to ask them. This is more likely to show how dissatisfied people and children are. It would seem children in this country are more bullied than in other countries, though whether this is true or just their perception is open to debate.

I'm not sure how anyone can measure happiness in children or adults.

I was talking generation-wise, not geographically.

I'm not sure how they can possibly measure, or compare, happiness of UK children with that of other countries.

According to the latest survey British kids are some of the unhappiest in Europe.

God forbid that the only thing they can find to do is bury their noses in books. Reading is fine, but kids need to be active.

That last s ntence should have read "and leading the fullest and most rewarding lives ever."

I think today's children on the whole are probably the happiest ever. And leading the happiest and rewarding lives ever.

#fussovernothing

Exactly Anya- when we were kids we did get bored, and there was NO tv or any electronic gadgets, etc- and after a while we did think of something to do, to create, to climb, to draw ... whatever. But how how does one 'pretend- artificially and with the GCs knowing full well that the tablet, game console, etc- is just there behind the cupboard door- without them seeing in as a 'punishment and denial'? Same for money- we had none, and we knew there was none- my GCs know that there is some... somewhere not far.

Really not sure what the answer is. Our GCs are also taken to rubgy, swimming, ballet, Scouts, etc, etc- they only have 1 evening free of activities. Here the kids say something like 'going to the woods with x, y and z- don't worry got my pen-knife- back around 7- bye' same as I did in the 50s.

Good post Margaretx, yes, they lack freedom.

Quite right jingl it was a statement.

i did read your point about a playmate. I meant a group of kids, not just one. Perhaps you meant that too.

I don't think we need to worry that children don't know what to do with themselves. They will have enough boredom to get through in their school and working lives. The best antidote is reading and playing games and of course now they all want to be texting etc.

When I look back at my childhood I can't remember being bored although we had almost nothing, but then nobody had anything and we played out together. Children will find a way out of boredom. Its freedom to do what they want that is lacking. Freedom to play out and explore. its tragic how minimised some children's lives are.

I have already made the point about other children. Mon 17-Aug-15 10:03:31

See. No one reads my posts. Not even the person who started the thread.

No it didn't. It stated it as a fact. No question was put.

The OP asked 'is it good for children to experience boredom?'

Because I agree that,these days, children's lives are organised to the Nth degree, by adults usually. Some of the activities you've mentioned VQ such as climbing trees, damming a stream are perhaps what we remember from our own childhood. Certainly no adults around to interfere organise us. Remember building dens in the woods? Now it's an organised activity for some.

There is anecdotal evidence that finding your own way out of 'boredom' or 'there's nothing to do' syndrome can fuel creativity.

Another point though....other children. We always sought out other children to complement our games. It's not just the same playing hide and seek, or Cowboys and Indians Native Americans with just your younger sister.

Very few children playing out now with neighbourhood children, mainly 'play dates' (horrible phrase) organised by mum.

Why do children have to be entertained/kept busy every waking hour. Children have wonderful imaginations and left to their own devices and invent their own games and entertainments. There are times when adult intervention is good and also times when being left to themselves is also good.

Our children are away with their mum and stepdad atm. I know they'll be having a great time at an organised holiday camp. They were looking forward to the kid's club, the swimming club, the theatre club and the night time entertainment. Every minute of every day will be organised by a camp entertainer. The holiday won't have come cheap but it's the kind of thing they all enjoy as mum and stepdad like to be entertained too and it makes their life easier if the children aren't around them all the time.

The following week the children are away with us. We'll be camping in a field in the middle of nowhere. There will be no TV or WiFi signal. We're going to go to a nature reserve, a stately home, a castle and a parrot sanctuary. There will be no organised entertainment on the campsite and not everything will be geared up around the children. However the children also love to go on this type of holiday. They love the freedom of camping. They love the history, the scenery, finding things, talking about things, climbing trees, damming a stream and just playing. They don't have many toys with them as there is no room but they make up their own games and play for hours. We also spend time as a family playing Frustration and JackSticks. Talking, laughing and having fun.

The OP asked, "Do children need to be bored?" I think the question should be "Do children need to be organised and entertained every waking hour?" to which I would reply a resounding "No!"

It's not just toddlers. Parents seem frightened to let their children out of their sight these days. Some children just never get the opportunity any more to 'play out'.

I think young mums tend to take their toddlers here, there and everywhere these days is because they themselves want to keep in touch with other people. I think that's probably a good thing all round. Better than being stuck at home on their own with young children all the time.

I always find myself wondering what children are actually saying when they say that they are bored ... talking with them helps, and even showing some interest and simply asking. Interestingly, it was not until she went to school that my 7 yr old GD said she was bored for the first time... when we discussed it, she was in fact complaining about not being able to spend time as she wished. At school it was remarked that she had a short attention span, whilst at home we found she could listen to music intently or watch a ballet for 2 hours with no problem. She could also spend a long time drawing or painting, meditates, and now is an avid reader. I have known 'bored' to be a blanket word for anger or frustration or an avoidance word for being miserable or sad. Always as something worth exploring though.

I used to dread the summer hols for that reason, but tried to plan one day a week when we would go on an outing. The rest of the time they would have to entertain themselves, especially if we were at work.
Though in those days children had much more freedom to roam around on their own, ours even went on the train to the coast for the day, the older ones looking after the young ones. Less traffic so no worries about long bike rides etc.
I agree though it's always been more of a problem for very young children.

Thanks Jings, I used to be something else on here but can't remember what it was. Back to boredom, I My Grandkids love to help me cook etc; but I don't hassle them into it and if they are on iPads etc; I don't think there is anything wrong with that, I feel nowadays they are always being dragged from here there and back again, so if they switch off and do something apparently mindless they are having a bit of down time and deserve it.

My solution - along with masses of books in the GC's room - has always been a big sandpit. It becomes a planet, a town, a garden, countries at war, a fashion parade. Plus gets them out of 'helping' me when I am trying to prepare dinner for 7 after a day out.

Fair enough Bellanonna.

You are wrong about me though. I only ever say what I truly feel. Never to just wind people up. Could never be arsed to do that.

Thank you jingl.

I enjoy reading intelligent posts too, and I prefer wind ups to the blatantly sycophantic any day.

Though I have been known to agree with jingl's once.

i think