Digital Habits
"I'm bored. Can I just watch something?"
What to say
What is actually happening
Boredom is not a problem to solve with a device. It's the feeling right before they come up with something amazing, so don't rush past it.
Start here
"I love that you have free time. That's what summer is for." Acknowledge it as something good before you redirect. They need to hear that part first.
Then say this
"A device isn't the first thing you reach for when you're bored. Go come up with something on your own. Ride your bike, find a friend, build a fort, use your imagination."
What not to say
"There's nothing to do, so go watch something." Handing over a device the second boredom shows up teaches them that boredom is an emergency. It isn't. It's the doorway to the stuff they'll actually remember.
Why this matters
It's one of the most common things kids say all summer long, and it makes sense, because a device is easy and boredom is uncomfortable. But boredom is also where imagination lives. It's the feeling right before they come up with something they'll still be talking about in ten years, the fort, the game, the neighborhood adventure. You don't have to say no to a device forever. You just don't have to say yes to it first.
Follow-up questions
- "What did you do last time you were bored and figured it out on your own?"
- "What could we build or make with the stuff we already have here?"
- "Who could you call or go find outside right now?"