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22 August 2011

The Merits of Boredom


While we have certainly had our share of day camps and lessons, I am a big proponent of facilitating summer boredom. For you see, in my experience, it's the unstructured expanses of time that invariably lead to the stuff childhood memories are made of.

They may start off rolling on the floor saying they are bored. But when mother is completely lacking in sympathy, a clothes-line is strung, buckets of soapy water appear, and the washing commences. Not to mention the tent held up by a stick and secured by boulders. (It's for the town mercantile, naturally.)

What's more, mother may be instructed to go away and not return until they are done. Ignore the children for a morning? Well, I'd be happy to oblige.

It's a win-win.

4 comments:

  1. Love it!! We have had many creative moments this summer as a result of "boredom." Also, a threat of extra chores brings out creativity too!!

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  2. Ah, yes, Bonnie. So true! I do love to come up with "activities" for them to replace their boredom with.

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  3. Brilliant. Why I've never employed this particular activity I do not know!

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  4. Love it! The creative minds of children engrossed in their play is one of life's great delights.

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