Blessings of Boredom

May 13
2 min read

Few things grate on a busy mom’s ears as much as the inevitable whine “Mom, I’m bored!”. But before you jump to respond with suggestions and activities, consider the blessings of boredom.

An entertained child is amused by sights and sounds outside of himself. The problem with external amusement is that when the entertainment ends, boredom returns. The answer to boredom isn’t entertainment, but rather to develop an internal spring of creative energy that leads a child to never run out of things to imagine, consider, create, or explore.

How can we give our children vibrant creativity, curiosity, and the capacity for meaningful self-reflection? The answer is boredom. Boredom is the empty field where seeds of self-discovery can sprout and grow. As long as we’re filling our children’s days and minds with outside stimulation, there’s no quiet space for them to learn to hear their own thoughts, wonder or imagine new ideas.

One of the greatest gifts we can give our children is the rich soil of boredom, which opens the doors to self-discovery and internal richness.

This insight clearly demonstrates why the Torah (Five Books of Moses) was given to the Jewish people in an empty land. The book of Numbers emphasizes this point with its opening words, "And Hashem spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai..." Spiritual growth can’t be imposed externally on a person. It must blossom and flourish internally. There was no better environment for the nascent nation to acquire and internalize Torah than in desolate wilderness. The lack of external stimulation allowed space for each person to internalize and grow from the inside-out.

Practical Suggestions for Boredom (that won’t drive you crazy)

Stock your house with empty notebooks, arts and crafts supplies including popsicle sticks, glue, clay, and colorful, fun writing tools.
When your child is quietly sitting, staring into space, or gazing out the window, let them be. Don’t rush in to suggest an activity or get their attention - this quiet time can be the seeds of internal energy.
Instead of outright refusing to “solve” your child’s boredom, buy some time by saying you’ll be available to help in ten or fifteen minutes. Often, kids will come up with their own ideas during that time and be happily engaged when you come to find them. Worse comes to worse, it’s only a few minutes of discontent.
Hold strong and do NOT allow screen time to cure boredom. Digital devices provide stimulation and entertainment from the outside, not the inside, leaving children feeling even more bored and empty after than before. (If you want to allow screen time, save it to use after periods of creative play.)
There are times that boredom stems from a feeling of disconnection. A few minutes of your warm attention (a quick game, sharing jokes, reading a story) may be enough to reset your child so they feel energized to go off and play on their own.