[eminer]

Did your child ever go through a time of saying this a lot? And how did it get resolved? (Did you ever figure out why?)

My dd, 3.5, has been complaining of boredom almost constantly. Any momentary lag in an otherwise fun experience can cause her to say she's bored, but it is especially noticeable if we are around the house and not doing anything in particular together. She wants me to either directly interact with her, OR, think of something interesting for her to do, at all times. I know she is going through a huge social blossoming (and without anyone to really play with most of the time

), but I'm wondering if maybe there is some further angle I'm not seeing.

 

[Marsupialmom]

Make a list from playing with things she likes to hates and chores.

Since she is only 3.5 try to keep it short (add as she gets older). Maybe a pictures list. Then let her pick one. Or even a shoe box with index cards with pictures of things for her to do.

 

[bklynmum]

WE have lots of things in boxes...one with playdoh, one with scrap paper and glue, dolls, cars...they are all sort of accessible and kind of sorted out...so we get out a box first thing in the morning and play with that until we are bored then pack up and get another box...they take it in turns to choose and that way we get to do lots of different things all day, as well as trips to the park and errand etc...

B

 

[supervee]

I wonder if I am in the minority about this, and of course then that makes me wonder if I am wrong

but I don't answer the "I'm bored" question. Kind of like "you're hungry, so eat"..."you have to go potty then go"..."you're bored, then find something to do."

Being able to entertain oneself is pretty high on the list of things I want DS to be able to do. Some days he really whines about not having anything to do, but I want him to stretch and be creative about it. Eventually he'll find himself a nice activity that keeps him busy for hours...today it was making roly-poly "soup" in the mud puddle out our back stoop.

 

[meemee]

erin,

i think it might be a personaltiy issue. my dd is 2.75 years old. much younger than urs. but she is a real social thing. she does not want to come home. she longs for company. at home it is just the two of us. many times she just prefers to be home - not going out or doing anything. but most days she wants to visit our neighbours (some adult from 32 - 83 years old, some kids younger and older), or play in the park or go to the store or to some outdoor social activity. we even have a couple of fav. restaurants we go to when my pocket allows.

i have no problems with her playing alone. she does that pretty well. but she is the outdoor kinda girl who craves social company. sometimes when the boys are over or she is over at their place i notice all 3 of them playing by themselves but i guess she enjoys them just being there.

and this is not a phase. she has been like that since she was 2 weeks old. she loves going out and interaacting with people. she doesnt always want to go to the park. her two fav. places to go are the library and the store.

but i have an only so i dont know what is convenient for ur gaggle.

 

[eilonwy]

It's funny, my niece says this all the time at my mom's house, but never when she's here. :LOL Like bklynmum, we have lots of kid-friendly things to do and, of course, there are always chores.

I think the key is to make sure that they're accessable; my mom has more art supplies than I do, but I keep them where the kids can get to them rather than out of reach.

 

[eminer]

Thanks everyone for your replies.

We do have lots of stuff for dd to do here, all within reach, and certainly plenty of housework - ha. And I do suggest these things when she says she's bored (and admittedly, supervee, I also feed her and wipe her, not that I think you're wrong -- sounds great if it works for you and your ds!).

I got a couple of clues this weekend. First of all, I think some of the time when she's been saying she's bored, she may actually have meant impatient but just didn't generate that word. (That would explain the "boredom" when we're, say, waiting for the bus to go to the zoo. :LOL ) And second, we spent most of the weekend at the park, and dd kept laughing and grinning and saying, "It's really really fun at the park!" Then at one point when she was had been on board with going home, she suddenly started to hesitate visibly, and said quietly, "But the problem is, it's really boring at home..." She also says a lot, "I want you to play with me," and, "I need somebody to take care of me." So honestly, I think at the moment the only things that appeal to her are movement or interaction. Which I can understand. Just wish we had a big open space with kids right outside our window, like I had when I was her age.

 

[GoldBerry]

I'm with you on this!

I think it is important that my nearly 5 year old be able to come up with things to do. I must admit that the "I'm bored" phrase can drive me nuts. How can she be bored?! Boredom can make an imagination grow- that's what happened to me during church all those years!