Have you or your kids ever felt bored right after valentines day or during your free time? Have you ever felt confused and wondered how is this possible?
In this article, we’ll share with you some ideas to help you deal with this problem and a great solution to make the best out of your family’s leisure time.
IS GOOD BEING BORED!
Wait! What? Yes, that’s what specialists say…so maybe you don’t need to worry if you start feeling that you or your kids (if you’re a parent)start showing symptoms of the “VACATION BOREDOM SYNDROME”.
We’ve all been there before. After the initial relief and euphoria for not having to get up early to go to school or for not having to face the responsibilities of being a student, suddenly, it feels like there’s something missing….
And suddenly, there’s too much time available….
And too few ideas on how to use it.
Kids are on their phones, tablets or playing video games for too long. And in between, they start complaining. They say: “I’m bored!”
On the other hand, many adults on their summer break do the same: they spend too much time in front of screens while thinking to themselves: “I’m bored!”
So, what’s the solution? How should we fill up our time during vacations?
Should we force ourselves to have a full schedule of meaningful activities for us or for our kids?
Is it really bad to be bored sometimes?
Psychologists specialized in human development say there’s nothing wrong with boredom and that actually, there is a positive aspect about it that helps development and stimulates imagination.
When you’re bored, you’re creating an opportunity for you or your kids to develop creativity and to discover new things to do and to enjoy.
In 1993, psychoanalyst Adam Phillips said that “boredom is a chance to contemplate life, rather than rushing through it, he said in his book “On Kissing, Tickling, and Being Bored: Psychoanalytic Essays on the Unexamined Life”.
And when it comes to kids, Phillips explains: “It is one of the most oppressive demands of adults that the child should be interested, rather than take time to find what interests him. Boredom is integral to the process of taking one’s time,” added Phillips.
“Your role as a parent is to prepare children to take their place in society. Being an adult means occupying yourself and filling up your leisure time in a way that will make you happy,” says Lyn Fry, a child psychologist in London with a focus on education. “If parents spend all their time filling up their child’s spare time, then the child’s never going to learn to do this for themselves.”
And actually, this also makes sense for adults.
How many times do we feel guilty by experiencing the “Vacation Boredom Syndrome” ? We are longing for a break, but then when we have the opportunity to enjoy it, suddenly we find ourselves out of things to do…
On the other hand, many adults are so busy that they even forget how to have fun and what are the leisure activities they really enjoy!
And what about the cost of fun activities for the summer? Maybe you’re thinking that it would be too expensive to go out every day and to fill your schedule or your kid’s schedule with cool things to do…
Specialists have a suggestion so that you avoid finding yourself without options to enjoy your free time. And the advice they provide for parents can also be very useful for adults enjoying the summer break.
Lyn Fry, a child psychologist in London with a focus on education suggests that at the the start of the summer, parents sit down with their kids—at least those above the age of four—and collectively write down a list of everything their children might enjoy doing during their break. These can be basic activities, such as playing cards, reading a book, or going for a bicycle ride. They could also be more elaborate ideas such as cooking a fancy dinner, putting on a play, or practicing photography.
Of course, physical activity is one of the best antidotes for vacation boredom!
Moving your body is the best way to spend your energy and to get happiness hormones around.
At GetAir, we see our jumpers getting such great sweats! Kids play around, jump and role. They’re having the time of their lives!
Teens and adults feel light and energized while having the best time with their friends.
Wouldn’t that be a GREAT solution to avoid the VACATION BOREDOM SYNDROME?
