francene--blog. Year 2013
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March 23rd

3/23/2013

 
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Advice from a leading expert is that we should allow children to become bored. They're over stimulated with television and different screens so they never get a chance to relax and smell the roses. Or just stare at the sky. During these times of boredom, creativity is born. A child needs time to dream—to work out how to fill their time—to entertain themselves. See the full BBC News article here.

Children who don't develop their imagination often become antisocial teenagers, who resort to destructive acts like smashing bus shelters and shop windows.


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www.buttercup-nurserries.co.uk
What I remember most about my childhood is the boredom—nothingness—staring outside through the window. School didn't stimulate me. Back in the 1940's, we learned times-tables by route and chanted them together in class. Latin and geometry held no meaning. The only thing I liked doing was devising plays for the children living in our built-up area of Prahran in Melbourne, Australia. My mother would take us to the market where we could mingle with friendly people of other cultures. At home, I loved to dance for my sisters, scare them with stories and read. As the oldest sister, I was a natural leader without troops.

Now I see the light: Being bored is not only beneficial, but necessary—allows creativity to flow.

Some well-known writers say they used their boredom in a constructive way and wrote diaries or short stories. However, I could never settle on any one activity. I tried everything, did well, and moved on to something else. When I retired from full time work, I finally turned my hand to writing poetry. Then, I wrote songs, sang them into a recorder, and worked out how to jot the notes down on manuscript paper. Finally, after writing about a million poems and songs, I decided to write my life story. Having reached the very end of my exploration, I started writing a novel. At last, I've found an activity I'll never tire of. Learning to write properly, following the guide-lines of good writing, editing and sharing critiques with other members in the Internet Writer's Workshop fills my days. Each story leads to another. See my published novels at the bottom of the page

So—let your child become bored. Send them outside with no screen in their hand. They might yell and wail, but you can smile with the secret knowledge that it's for their own good.


Regina Walker link
3/23/2013 02:39:29 am

My favorite thing to say when my kids are bored is "find something to do, or I will give you chores to do." They immediately engage themselves in something inventive with blocks or blank pages. As a writer, my best ideas strike me when it is quiet and I am teetering on boredom - not when it's noisy and I'm so busy I can't think straight. Thanks for this post!

Francene Stanley link
3/23/2013 04:47:56 am

I agree. Your children soon work out how to occupy themselves.

Anita-Clare Field link
3/23/2013 04:57:27 am

Very thought provoking and true. I am very grateful for not growing up with play stations and Wii. We used our imaginations and creativeness and never got bored.

Alana link
3/23/2013 05:47:22 am

Oh yes...I so agree. In addition, so many children are over- scheduled with activities today they have no idea what a "down time moment" is. Even as an only child I was well able to entertain myself between playing outside, reading, making "make believe" movies in my room, coloring and building with a wooden building set I loved. I did not park my son (also an only child, and now an adult) in front of the TV but always made sure he had the raw materials for imagination available.


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    Author

    Francene Stanley, author of many published novels. If you like my writing, why not consider purchasing one of my books? You'll see them on the sidebar below.
    Born in Australia, I moved to Britain half way through my long life.

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