Boring!
November 22, 2007
Filed under Parenting & Family Posts
Amanda (aka Mad Cow) was recently lamenting Long Weekends, particularly the familiar 
child’s litany of “I’m Bored!”.
As I told her, in my humble opinion, even if you were the fifth Wiggle or Krusty the Klown, you’d still get kids telling you “I’m bored”.
When you hear this litany I hope you don’t take it personally, parents. In my opinion, it’s not a comment about us (at least most of the time, anyway), rather it’s about the child’s ability to keep themselves entertained … and about their making the choice to not be bored.
(Often, I’m told, it’s a sign of intelligence. That makes me feel a lot better and I hope it makes Amanda feel better too!)
Since he was 3, I’ve told Oldest Son he’s responsible for being bored and if he doesn’t like it, then he has the power to change it.
This has worked well with Youngest Son (who’ll get bored with being bored – and go invent a game about Firemen rescuing Batman and killing the pirates and aliens who started the fire).
But despite my best efforts, it did not work with Oldest Son who – at 11 -still sits around the house during holidays singing choruses of the Boredom Song to annoy any who will listen.
You know the Boredom Song. It goes a little something like this (and you have to imagine a techno beat playing behind it):
It’s Boring
Boring
Boring
Boring
Borrrrrrrrrrrrrrr-inggggggggggggggg…
I’m bored…
Bored
Bored
Bored
I’m bored …. because it’s booorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiinggggggggg!
Actually, if you know this song, you’ll also know you don’t need to imagine the doof-doof of a techno beat behind it, as the prepubescent singer usually accompanies themselves with banging a staccato rhythm on a pot, a bench or their sister’s head.
Sigh. Summer holidays are fast approaching in Australia…
… and I hate the Boredom Song…
How do you truly wise parents help your kids overcome boredom? Give the rest of us some tips, will ya?
Boy 12: I’m bored.
Her Hotness: Oh, good. I need you to clean your room and then rake the leaves and scrub the chalk off of the sidewalk.
We put them to work every time we hear it. Works like a charm, and we don’t hear it very often anymore.
Hang on, I’m writing that down.
Thanks Joe, we’ll keep that in mind!
I have actually used that occasionally with Oldest Son. It doesn’t work with him but gee it makes him mad! I think Joe’s lady-wife must have her technique down pat. My hat’s off to her!
The trick is that you have to really mean it. If you’re just giving the jobs as a smart reply to his boredom complaint, he’ll not be amused. If he learns that you mean it and being bored means he gets chores, well, it won’t take many repetitions.
I think it requires a woman’s touch! Luke won’t pack up his toys for daddy but generally I only have to ask twice, once nicely, and if it’s not done, the second time with meaning!!!!
I reckon you’re onto something there, Mich. Now I think of it, my wife NEVER gets the boring complaint, I do. And I suspect it’s because I’ve set myself up as the Entertainment Officer when they were toddlers (so I’ve only meself to blame).
Sucks to be you!!!
Nah. Only when I don’t want to play…
Gosh, any time my kids are able to entertain themselves, I do a little Happy Dance.
I like to be bored back
“I’m bored too. No, I’m more bored than you are. No, I’m reeeeaaaaaly bored, even boreder”
(Yes, I make up words, too)
Then I put on my daggy eighties music and dance around like an idiot (I can dance, really, I just like to dance like an idiot in front of my kids
).
Then I get “you’re a crazy lady” and sometimes “you’re the evilist mother in the world” followed by *stomp stomp stomp*
Ah, I aim to please LOL
Love it! (People, we’re in the presence of greatness)