 As a parent, you’ve likely heard your child complain about being bored at one time or another. We live in a world of constant stimulation. Whether it’s smartphones, TV, or video games, your kids likely have access to sources of entertainment that are highly stimulating and can make other things in life seem boring. So, when should you be concerned about your child’s perceived boredom, and when is it simply a lack of desired stimulation? Why are they bored?
Sometimes there are valid concerns that can result from your child’s boredom at school. If the content is below their current level, they may complete their assignments quickly and easily. This lack of a challenge can make school seem boring since they never really have to work hard in order to complete their work successfully. The opposite can also be true. If the work is above their current level, your student may be avoiding completing it or just guessing in order to be done with it. When this happens, claiming boredom is simply an outlet for their frustration, especially if your child tends to act out behaviorally when faced with something challenging. Most commonly, boredom is a result of your child’s lack of understanding when it comes to the purpose of the assignment. If your student doesn’t understand why they have to do some of the less interesting assignments they won’t value the learning experience. Memorizing math facts may seem boring to some, but it’s incredibly important to be able to quickly recall basic calculations when they move on to higher levels of math. It’s important for your student to realize that not everything in life is highly stimulating, but that doesn’t make those things any less important. When addressing your child’s boredom, keep in mind that there might not necessarily be anything that needs fixing. You’ve likely heard your child say that they’re bored at home, despite having a wide variety of things they could do. They’re simply choosing not to engage in other activities and the same can be true at school. There might be assignments for them to complete, a book to read, or a task to help the teacher with. Saying that they’re bored doesn’t necessarily mean that they don’t have anything meaningful to do. Find a Reasonable Solution The best solution for boredom at school is to have an honest conversation with your student about why they’re bored. Is the work too easy or too hard? Are there other things they could spend their time doing, but they’re simply choosing not to? Is their completed work their best work? This conversation will help you and your child decide what course of action will provide the best solution for their boredom. Maybe they need an active outlet for their pent up energy such as athletics or other extracurriculars that will get them up and moving, or enrichment activities that will challenge them academically. Understanding that boredom is sometimes part of life and that there is a purpose for everything their teacher assigns can help your child accept these lulls in stimulation. By providing a variety of experiences through a private education at St. Barnabas Episcopal School, we can help your child find the balance between pursuing personal interests and being successful academically. Contact us today to schedule a tour or learn more. |