“I’m bored.”
It’s probably one of the last phrases you want to hear from your kids. Too often, our kids expect us to serve as cruise director for them and keep them entertained at all times. What if we turned the tables and got them involved in the planning of family activities?
Want your kids to learn how to combat boredom and create meaningful family experiences? Check out this “Parenting Strategies to Kid Habits” video about creating Family “Bucket Lists.”
Yes, and: An Additive Approach to Brainstorming with Kids
When trying to get ideas for activities from your kids, focus on getting as many ideas out. Don’t worry about quality; focus on quantity. Using a “Yes, and” strategy with this will help. “Yes, and” works by creating a norm where each answer is followed by “Yes, and” rather than a list of reasons why a particular idea won’t work. For example, if one child says, “I want to go horseback riding,” typical brainstorming will have you start on a tangent about why horseback riding would be a problem. Instead, you can respond with “Yes, and I’d like to ride a pony” or “Yes, and I’d like to ride a horse on a carousel.” This adds to the process rather than subtracting from it.
Resources
4 Steps to Help You When Your Kids Say They Are Bored
Great Activities for Kids Stuck in the House – a Pinterest board
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