I don’t want ENTERTAINMENT to be the default mode of anyone in my family.  If they begin to default to wanting to play video games or ask to watch something – AND if they moan and groan when I say “no”, then I give them extra jobs around the house until they are willing find something better to do.

When a child is bored it is okay for them to spend time doing nothing.  We don’t always need to entertain them or give them something to do.  When they do begin to develop hobbies and interests it is good for moms to feed those interests in a positive way.

When a child is bored and starts whining, fighting or being destructive, that’s when I make suggestion about what to do: “Why don’t you go play with your Legos?”

If they say: “That’s boring!” I say: “No problem. I need help around here. Go wash ten dishes, or this floor needs mopping.”

We have a chore chart and each child has jobs that they need to do every day.  Every week each child has a FREE DAY.  That is the day that they have no jobs and get to be in-charge of the family computer in the late afternoon and evening.  That is when they can play Mine-craft or watch 4 episodes of Dogs 101.  They look forward to their FREE DAY, and are learning that they had better find something “good” to do, or they will end up with extra jobs. Bottom line? Allow your kids to be bored so they will explore and develop new talents and interests, and teach them to value and invest their time wisely.