Xmas Break “I’m bored”

[Anonymous]

I can relate to having kids who cant chill and self entertain, but, these are your children so you presumably knew that about them before today. Why didnt you make plans for break? What did you expect to happen?

My kids are going to 3 days of day camp this week. They had "the best day ever!" today and DH and I were both in the office. We are each taking one day off this week and have outings planned for those. I'll be off work next week and we are visiting family for most of it. I have a few projects planned for the days we are home. Kids will help with some of the shopping and xmas prep too.

You dont get to not think about this before break happens and then look for sympathy.

[Anonymous]

Let them be bored. I never had an unlimited stream of activities placed at my feet growing up. It’s healthy for kids to figure out how to exist without everything being orchestrated for them.

[Anonymous]

Let them be bored? Why is this so hard

[Anonymous]

Totally agree about the chores. Inherited that from two previous generations in my family. "I'm bored" = a job. It usually takes about 2 seconds for my kids to get _really_ busy if I raise my eyebrow at a mention of boredom. Video game time is limited to 30 minutes per day generally (we navigate TV/movies separately), and that has unlocked some more creativity and independence. We noticed that more video game time = more boredom once that artificial high was removed. They kind of forgot how to have other kinds of fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve got two older elementary aged kids and the talk of boredom has commenced. Both kids have some social issues so it’s tough to generate play dates despite us knowing tons of people and doing plenty of activities etc.

How do you shut this down? We have family in town and plenty of Xmas projects and outings…..but not much with outside friends since many families are working during these two weeks or traveling.

Oh, I post a list of chores and when they say this I tell them to choose one. And there is no backing off at that point. If they complain, they get a chore.

+1, saying I’m bored equals getting a chore around the house. It’ll stop the complaining after a few times.

[Anonymous]

Learn to cook.

Learn to clean.

Duolingo.

Math challenges.

Exercise routine.

Read a book.

Watch a movie.

[Anonymous]

We used to watch 📺 TV

[Anonymous]

We always have one day during break where there is no limit on screen time.... They can play video games, iPad to watch TV or movies. Do whatever the heck they want all day either on or off the screen.
Other than that, screens are maxed out at 1 hour a day split up into 2 -30 minute chunks.... Unless we are watching a movie together or something.

Let them be bored. I do love me screen if they are doing a craft or drawing something and watching a video or getting stuff by step instructions. They have created some really amazing art.

[Anonymous]

I have 3 kids and we usually have something planned. I don’t currently work but when I did, my kids would do 1 week of camp and 1 week of travel. Or 1 week grandparents and 1 week camp. If grandparents were here, we didn’t just leave them all day. They may go to a movie, museum, bowling, something.

We travel tomorrow. We had no real plans over the weekend. My tween boys made their own plans. One kid was invited to watch a movie. Other kid was invited to a friend’s. My son rode bikes to 7 eleven with a friend. Other son had some friends over yesterday.

I was talking to one mom who was planning to work all through winter break with 3 kids at home with no childcare. That sounds like a nightmare and bound to have bored kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm jealous that you've already started break. I wish we had a real Christmas break here.

Same. Mcps teacher here who is exhausted.

[Anonymous]

I just let them watch tv. That’s what DH and I did and we still went to a good college and became productive members of society. And AFAIK our parents didn’t feel guilt about it.