The "Fear of Boredom" Trap
- dr. Kristijan Musek Lešnik
- Oct 14, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 21, 2025
We may think boredom means we’re failing as parents. In reality, it’s not a crisis — it’s the birthplace of imagination, problem-solving, and resilience.
“If we rush to cure boredom, we rob kids of creativity.”
For parents, each “I’m bored” can feel like an indictment: Am I not giving enough? Should I plan more? Do I need to become a 24/7 cruise director? But boredom isn’t a crisis. It’s not even bad... sometimes it's can actually be one of greatest gifts we can give to our kids.
Parenting mistake: Treating each “I’m bored” as a crisis that demands immediate parental intervention.
THE ISSUE
Saturday afternoon. Your child is surrounded by toys, crayons, and Lego. Five minutes later:
“Mommmm, I’m boooored.”
The tone suggests they’re trapped in a desert with no water, not in a living room with a mountain of stuffed animals.
Modern parents sometimes treat boredom like a fire alarm. We rush in with crafts, playdates, or the iPad — anything to stop the sighing. But boredom isn’t dangerous. It’s actually good for kids. The problem isn’t them being bored. It’s us panicking when they are.
WHY PARENTS DO THIS
We do it because:
We feel guilty. Instagram shows curated enrichment; while our kid is poking a Cheerio with a fork.
We fear judgment. A bored child might provoke screams “lazy parenting.”
We grew up differently. Our boredom was normal; theirs feels like a failure.
We confuse boredom with misbehavior. A bored kid can quickly turn destructive.
We’ve been sold the mantra that boredom must be cured. Our toy aisle is full of “boredom busters” and we feel pressured to put them to good use.
HOW THIS HARMS CHILDREN (AND PARENTS)
When we treat boredom like an emergency:
Creativity shrinks. No space is left for imagination.
Resilience weakens. They learn discomfort = must be fixed immediately.
Entitlement grows. Entertainment becomes an expectation.
Problem-solving stalls. Children don’t learn to invent solutions.
Parents burn out. We can’t be a 24/7 clown show for a long time.
AVOIDING THE TRAP
Here are some ideas that might prove useful when we feel the urge to jump every time we hear “I’m bored.”
Redefine Boredom. It’s not failure. It’s opportunity. If your child can survive broccoli, they can survive five minutes of staring at the ceiling.
Don’t Jump In Right Away. Give it space. Five minutes later, they may invent a stuffed-animal karate class.
Offer Chores as the Backup Plan. Respond with, “You can help fold laundry.” Suddenly, boredom doesn’t seem so bad.
Create a Boredom Box. Fill it with random supplies — cardboard tubes, clothespins, markers. Open-ended, not pre-packaged.
Normalize Doing Nothing. Model it. Sit with tea, read, stare out the window. Kids learn downtime is normal.
Save Screens for Last Resort. Not evil, but not the automatic fix. Call them “rainy-day tools,” not “daily vitamins.”
Teach “I’ll Figure It Out”. Replace “I’m bored” with “I’ll find something to do.” Builds independence.
Leave Space in the Calendar. Some unscheduled time is healthy. If life looks like an air traffic control schedule, imagination never lands.
THE PAYOFF
When boredom stops being the enemy:
Kids invent games, build forts, create puppet shows.
Parents stop working as cruise directors.
Families enjoy quieter, sillier, more creative afternoons.
Your child won’t remember whining, “I’m bored.” They’ll remember the worlds they built in empty afternoons — forts, goofy songs, bizarre inventions.
So next time you hear it, don’t panic. Smile. Maybe even say: “Good. That’s where the best ideas start.”
Because boredom isn’t a crisis. It’s a canvas.
© dr. Kristijan Musek Lešnik & Aparenttly. All text and visuals are original works.
Sharing is welcomed. Reposting or reproduction without credit is not permitted. Please tag @Aparenttly when sharing.
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