I have nothing to do mom

Downtime is crucial for children, especially in today’s highly stimulating world. Children are born with an almost unlimited capacity for fun … and parents have no responsibility for children to have fun!

Until recently, in human history, children learned to have fun without mountains of toys or electronic devices , playing hide-and-seek, making mud pies, or pushing a wheel along with a stick … with nothing more than that! very happy! Unfortunately, with the abundance of gadgets and structured activities designed for them, many children complain that “there is nothing to do” unless they are placed in front of a television or video game, or given the iPad or phone from the mother to keep them quiet. It sounds just as sad as it really is.

As parents, we have to be willing to put up with the complaints of our children if we really want to separate them from the constant stimulation to which we have unknowingly helped them get used to. But how to achieve this?

YOU MUST BE CLEAR

If you really want your child to develop the ability to entertain himself, you will have to be willing to resist his campaign to change his mind. Most children prefer the ease of electronic diversions to the apparent “work” of generating their own fun. Your child is likely to complain, get angry, or tell you that you are the worst mother in the world.

Prepare to acknowledge their frustration without giving in. You have to show your understanding towards their feelings of frustration but not compromise on how they should be entertained or amused. You need to learn to have fun for yourself so that your imagination or creativity is not affected. This entertainment skill is critical to their development. By giving your child the gift of unstructured play, you will help him discover that life is always interesting and that we can create our own fun.

YOU DON’T SCOLD HIM

Telling your child that when you were little you walked a lot to school or played with rocks or sticks will not change how your child feels at this time. You need to increase unstructured time and do it in stages. Electronic games or television are not the devil and you can enjoy them, as long as it is a reasonable time and never takes time for the other more important activities.

If your child only has fun with screens, you will want to start inviting him to do things on his own for 10 to 15 minutes, giving him options so that he is able to get started. You can tell him that you will be busy during that time and that he can take colored pencils and start drawing a nice picture or maybe go to the garden to play with the cars.

ARTISTIC EXPRESSION

Most children love to show their creativity when given the basic ingredients. Instead of spending money on a new video game or toy, invest in supplies that help spark your child’s imagination. It allows you to open all your imagination and creativity without having to limit yourself.

THINK ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES

Most children are drawn to novelty and will be more willing to play with something that feels brand new. Put some of your child’s toys and games aside for a few weeks. When you reintroduce them, they may find them more attractive. You can also trade toys with friends; For some children, other children’s things seem somewhat more interesting than theirs.

Do not feel the need to always entertain your child with the television or be his playmate just because he regrets the sadness of not knowing what to do. Without your intervention, he will surely find what to do, especially if you first give him options so he can see that he is capable of doing other things.

Children who have lost their ability to entertain themselves become restless adults, constantly seeking stimulation and distraction … prevent this from happening to them, give them the gift of boredom from time to time.