To think "Mum I'm Bored" on the first day of the school hols is just tough?

[thismousebites]

I don't remember (and neither does my mum) either me or mu brothers ever saying we were bored in the school hols, especially not on the first day!!!
I have told my 3 DCs that I am not prepared to spend vast amounts of money on trips to Alton Towers, the cinema. crappy overpriced indoor soft play areas, etc.
Have told them that they will have to just BE bored. They have access to PS3, DSI, Ipod touch, Sky tv, dvds, viseos, books (from the library), a very expensive trampoline in back garden and a park across the road. That should be plenty to keep them happy.
They seem to think I should suddenly turn into Willy Wonka, Dynamo, Ronald MacDonald, and entertain them 24/7.
Since when has parenting become childrens entertainer?

[peggotty]

Yanbu. But I think kids sometimes just need time to relax into the holidays sometimes. They've been used to very structured days at school etc and it takes mine about a week to get into a slower pace.

[BuildMeUpButtercup]

YANBU, and my two have been exactly the same today ( from 2 days into the summer holidays.)
I've got lots lined up for them to do in the summer holidays but two days in? They can amuse themselves!
They'll just have to BE bored. They've got a football, a Wii console, a room full of toys and more books than the library, not to mention a games console each.
Nothing wrong withe being so called bored every now and again. They need to learn to amuse themselves and not expect everyone else to structure them and find them something else to do!

[Amy106]

When mine claim boredom, I sweetly suggest they could help with the laundry, water the outdoor plants, walk the dog etc. They scattered like leaves in the wind.

[BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack]

My late mum used to say you are only bored if you are boring! I seem to quote this to Ds a lot

[Rummikub]

I tell my dd it's ok to be bored. She got cross with me for not telling her sooner, she thought it an unnatural state!

[MissFenella]

DD1 greets me everyday with 'what are we doing today?'
It grinds my gears (probably unreasonably).

[thismousebites]

I just find it really sad. My idea of heaven in the school hols was to walk to the library and come back with my full quota of books (and I would use my parents cards too). Then settle myself on a rug on the lawn and sift through all these books.
My DCs seem to want dancing clowns, 3d up tp the minute movies, the very latest console games and endless amounts of food on tap.
I have supplied them with board games, colouring books, dvds from the library, a new football and gleaming new felt tips and paints.
They just rolled their eyes and yawned, and we are not talking teenagers here, they are all primary school.

[Springcleanish]

It comes from the schools, not allowed to be 'bored' there either. Have to be entertained, group work, jigsawed - plus feedback - peer and teacher, every 45 mins all through the day. Is it any surprise kids these days get bored quickly and have the concentration span of gnats when a teacher even considering her class having a silent reading lesson could bring on competency proceedings...
Kids are used to everything being presented in 30 minute chunks max, even TV shows, so the thought of 8 hours of unplanned activities is bound to fill them with confusion and fear which translates as "I'm bored!"

[Rummikub]

Isn't boredom supposed to be good for developing imagination? I will be encouraging boredom time with my dd.

[ZingWidge]

DC : "I'm bored!"

Me: "here's a wet cloth, wipe the doors, door handles, radiators, then you can clean clean the windows..... oh, you're gone! hmmm"

[whois]

It's quite a transition from a super structured day at school to one long 'empty' day on the first day of the holidays.

Still though, plenty of jobs to be done if they are looking for an activity :-) I used to actually like watering the outside plants, that's a nice satisfying job.

[grabaspoon]

We have a busy box so I do an activity and then he [dc aged 5] has 20 minutes to occupy himself with the busy box - toys that need no help or involvement from me and are new or old toys that he's forgotten about. I do not want to be involved I need my time and he needs to learn to occupy himself.

Have set myself 6 tasks to do with him today - but there things like doing sticker books for 20 minutes or writing in his scrap book and maybe we'll go out and do something later - I need to go to town to pay the credit card so that'll be fun

[MiddleAgeMiddleEngland]

On the very rare occasions I heard that from my DC, the answer would be "I'm sorry to hear that." Nothing more.

Leave them to it, they'll find something to do.

[quoteunquote]

Print off several copies of a list of all the jobs that need to be done around the house and garden, up date each day.

make it a massive long list with all the small and big jobs. from sanding skirting boards, to peeling that nights veg.

put it up around the house.

If you hear the word bored or requests for entertainment.

reply, "Is there anything left on the list? help yourself, cross anything off you complete"

Every time you see a child, ask, "Have you done anything off the list today?'

they will keep a low profile and you will get a lot of chores done.

also add a list of music practice,reading lists and any other study that needs to be done.

It amazing how quickly they become masters of self entertainment.

[Xihha]

I've already told mine that I'm doing nothing to entertain them until they tidy their rooms, they are sitting around complaining about being bored, I can see this going on for a while.

[Grapple]

Springclean - please tell me you are a frustrated teacher and not someone who is blaming teachers because their child now says they are bored...

[Blondeshavemorefun]

If children say I'm bored I normally tell them to sit on the floor and look at the floor then semi ignore them for a few mins - then when they moan I say that's what bored is

I also say shall I throw away the stuff in their bedroom of playtoom ir games puzzles jigsaws other toys etc when they say they have nothing to play with


And anazingly they find something to play with :)

I happy to play with children (obv my job) but It's good for children to entertain theirselves every day either doing puzzles - reading or in the garden

[RatUpADrainpipe]

Get a shoe box and mark it "The Bored Box". Write out slips of paper with 'empty dishwasher', 'collect washing', 'hoover' etc. etc. (you get my drift).

Fill box with written slips and......voila........they'll only say it once I guarantee you!!

Actually I feel sorry for children today. 'In my day' we were given a bottle of water and a jam sandwich and weren't seen until dinner time!

[QueenMaeve]

Quoteunquote I love that idea!

[quoteunquote]

I even have "update the list" on the list.

[FreudiansSlipper]

i have had this a few times

ds has been off school for a week now but it is good for him to be bored at times he soon goes off to make his own games

[ZingWidge]

blondes

[Alliwantisaroomsomewhere]

I also think that it takes time for the children to wind down into their holidays. PP is right about moving from a very structured day to one with no structure at all take some acclimitisation.

[Blondeshavemorefun]

zingwidge 'waves' i miss revenge :(

and my method works-try it

[Blondeshavemorefun]

im also like quotes list, always a great believer in child labour children helping around the house :)