Give In To Electronics
Banish
Boredom!
— by Sarah Lyons
A
fter the end of the school
year, when excitement
fades and the thrill of
a trip to the pool wears off, I begin
to notice the first signs of summer
boredom settling in. The kids start to
bicker, they seem to be drawn more
to electronics and less to fun outings,
and getting them to pitch in around the
house is a chore in itself. After checking
the calendar and noting that the first day
of school is still weeks away, something
has to be done to battle the boredom.
Change The Scenery
When the kids seem antsy and
bored, try a change of scenery for a
quick mood adjustment. Go for a walk,
play in the backyard, hop into the car
and do some errands, or even play
in an area of the house that you don’t
commonly use for play. We all get stir
crazy if we stay in the same place too
long.
Take A Day Trip
Speaking of changing the scenery,
consider taking a day trip to break up
the long summer days. Explore local
6 WNY Family August 2019
attractions or travel a few hours to
visit a nearby city. (Check out our
suggestions for “5 Last Minute Family-
Friendly Destinations on page 18 of this
issue!) A trip to the zoo, amusement
park, museum, or water park can give
you and the kids something to look
forward to and break up the boredom.
If a bigger day trip isn’t in the budget,
pack a lunch and spend the day at
neighboring town’s park. Google (or
check WNY Family’s online calendar)
to see what free activities are in your
area. There are often seasonal activities
that you may not be aware of.
Put A Crab
In The Water
An old friend once told me, “Put a
crab in water,” which is a solution for
any age. A bath or shower can lighten
anyone’s mood whether you are dealing
with a fussy baby or an exhausted mom.
Water play can also lighten the mood.
Head to the pool, set up the sprinkler in
the backyard, fill some water balloons,
or visit the beach. A day playing in
water can turn your kids from grumpy
to happy in no time.
It won’t hurt to give in to the desire
to play on tablets and watch TV once in
awhile. Plan a movie marathon or let the
kids have extra screen time to help kill
the boredom of the end of summer days.
Take a trip to the library to get some new
books and exchange reading minutes
for extra screen time. The kids will be
happy with their bonus game time and
they will sharpen their reading skills
before school starts.
Pick A Project
If your house is anything like mine,
there are always unfinished projects to
work on. Clean the closets, sort the toys,
or work in the yard. Teach your kids how
to bake a cake or encourage them to plan
a menu and cook dinner. You may need
to assist depending on the age of your
children. Give them chores they have
never tried before so they have the benefit
of learning something new and you gain
the added bonus of a cleaner house.
Host A Playdate
Invite some friends over for the day.
Someone new to play with and talk to
can lighten the mood and give siblings
a much needed break from playing (and
fighting) with each other. As a stay-at-
home mom, I love to invite other moms
and their kids over. The moms enjoy
adult conversation while kids enjoy play
time and everyone is glad for a break
from the typical day.
The end of summer may feel long
now but before we know it the kids
will be back in school and the schedule
will be full of activities and we will be
craving a day off. In the meantime, make
the best of the long, lazy days of summer
and battle summer boredom one day at
a time.
Sarah Lyons is a writer and stay at
home mom of six children, including
3-year-old triplets. Her work has been
published in Pregnancy and Newborn
Magazine KC Parent, Austin Family,
Creative Child, and over 140 other
parenting publications.