Founder. Mom x 3. I got pregnant without IVF when doctors told me it was impossible. Now I help other women do the same.
It’s okay to let your kids be bored
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Hey, I also keep seeing this obligation to put their kids in as many enrichment activities as possible. Soccer, gymnastics, piano, swim, karate…. all stacked back to back so nobody is ever “bored.” Young kids do not need a project management dashboard for their childhood. They need LOTS and LOTS of time to get bored enough that they invent something. Play is not just something they do before the “real” learning starts. For a young child, it is work. Yesterday my kids were bored and came down to my dance studio. They turned my 2 foam rollers into boats. They tied resistance bands around the boats so they could anchor it to something. They used their feet to waddle through the pretend ocean. And then were planning and strategizing the whole time how to not fall into the “deep water.” Meanwhile, my 8 month old sat there and was absorbing the whole thing. This is how most of their day goes. Lots and lots of unstructured play. This type of unstructured play is the REAL learning. They were practicing planning, problem solving, balancing, communicating, and using teamwork to stay alive, and my baby was picking up the social script just by watching. Play helps a child's brain develop better than academics. It builds the executive function, language, and social skills that flashcards and didactic preschool drills do not. A lot of the early academic bump from preschool also fades once kids hit elementary school, which is another reason I refuse to treat play like optional fluff. I feel this in my bones because I was the kid who refused to go to school so I could play. And I’m the overachiever mom who would happily sit my 4 year old down with worksheets because I like that kind of work. But that urge is about me. Not him. So if you feel anxious that you are missing out on something if your child is not in XYZ activities, this is your permission slip. Let them be bored. Protect unstructured hours like they’re sacred. Don’t rob your child of the memories and experiences that will shape the rest of his life. — Quick Ferta note while I’m here. I’m running a small 12-week group starting October 12 for women with missing, irregular, or painful periods. It’s with me directly. If your cycle has been trying to tell you something and you’ve been told your labs look “fine,” learn more and apply here: https://joinferta.com/cycle/ More soon, Preethi |
Fit Preethi
Founder. Mom x 3. I got pregnant without IVF when doctors told me it was impossible. Now I help other women do the same.
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