Why cant my children entertain themselves?

[ItsMyIssue]

DC are 8 &10, literally wandering about ‘bored’ ‘don’t know what to do’. I just don’t understand it. I make a few suggestions, or start something off but everything is really short lived. As a child I don’t ever really remember my mum entertaining us. My sis and I would be off doing all sorts of things either together or in our rooms. Any suggestions?

If we ever said we were bored, my Mum would give us housework to do.

We'd miraculously come up with something else we needed to do pronto

A list pined in the kitchen is very helpful.
Chores, and suggested pages or chapters of homework books.

That should solve it.

I came across this today for precisely these situations - a ‘bored jar’. www.instagram.com/p/CRQdAniMHrJ/?utm_medium=share_sheet

If we ever said we were bored, my Mum would give us housework to do.
This works a treat with my 9 & 11 year olds!
I give them a list of activities (e.g. jigsaw puzzle, read a book, play a game together, draw a picture, write a story) and then end it with tidy your room or sort the laundry.

Chores it is then.

Another one for chores. Nothing inspires my DC of a similar age to busy themselves quicker than when I introduce them to the dishwasher...

Are they too used to screens being their default entertainment? It’s amazing how bored ds gets when I take the screens away.

Kids are too entertained these days with screens and activities. They haven't learnt to occupy themselves. Just push through the whining and let this be the summer they learn to entertain themselves. Chores for when the whining gets too much.

Oh god I rant about this every day! 8 and (nearly) 5 here and they constantly need me to be entertaining them. House and garden full of toys and they are bored!

I agree with pp that it is too much screens, especially this past year with the lockdowns, so I have been working very hard to get them to do other things and to just learn to amuse themselves but its like pulling teeth.

So no suggestions sorry but glad its not just me!

@ILiveInSalemsLot I’ve noticed it’s always when screens are gone that my DC says “I’m bored”

If you can handle 3 days of stress, it’s worth taking the screens (except tv) away for a few days. I just did this with my ds and at first, he was stroppy and bored then he started playing in the garden, drawing, watching films with his little sister and even baked a cake! The change is amazing.

My 9 year old is constantly taking to friends I never see her till bedtime!

My 9 year old is constantly taking to friends I never see her till bedtime!

Mine often does too. But the kids (apart from the two 4 year olds and an 11 month old) who live in our block are currently on holiday. The weather is too rubbish to play out at the moment and we’re a bit too far from her other friends, many of whom are on holiday anyway.

You’re not alone!

give then chores to do.
they will either do them and that's a bonus or they will suddenly think of something to do.

I wonder if it's a new behaviour or if they were always like this?
I think some people are just genuinely more inquisitive, creative or driven to try & learn new things, their minds constantly working. I'm like that. I could live to be a thousand and would still not get bored. there's so much stuff I don't know & haven't tried yet!

others need a bit of push but it is soul crushing to keep offering stuff and only get shoulder shrugging in return.
At this age you certainly don't have to be their entertainment provider. let them be bored. eventually they will think of something to do