The Anti-Boredom Life

I don't always participate in Works for Me Wednesday. This week is a theme week of "Mom, I'm bored." I don't know that I qualify to share anything because I can count on two hands how many times I've heard "I'm bored" from our four kids in the last 10 years. Go ahead, hate me.

I credit our Anti-Boredom Life to several things. I'll share the things I think Work for Me.

1.) Attitude. Life is fascinating! God created a treasure trove in your backyard. There is so much to see and do! I have never been bored a day in my life. I always run out of energy l-o-o-o-ong before I run out of things to keep my attention or interest. I've infected our children with this same attitude, even if they don't exhibit it all the time. Go paint a masterpiece, run in the woods, look at butterflies, check out the hummingbird feeder, feel mud squish between your toes, pick posies, grow tomatoes from seed, draw a picture, dance, travel to lands unknown by reading, feel the wind in your hair while riding your bike, learn a cool new technique in Photoshop, write a computer program, blow up something in the kitchen... If none of that interests you, Lord help you! My suggestions won't do a thing for you.

2.) No TV. My folks turned the TV off when I was about 10. Rich and I decided not to have a TV as well. I don't miss it. I love to watch the Food Network, HG-TV and good dress movies when I get the chance (generally when ironing), but a steady TV diet would make them loose their luster. TV keeps our brain passively active. We don't have to think to be amused. Programs pour into our head and we simply have to process it. When you have to get your brain active on its own again, thinking seems like work. Exercise your brain to get it working again. Turn off the tube and see #1.

3.) Learn. When the brain is engaged, there isn't time to be bored. Life is education. We homeschool all year 'round. We take off a week or a day here and there when we travel or company comes, but we pretty much hit the books all year. Education doesn't stop because someone designates something a "holiday." Yes, we do more school some weeks and less on others. Life ebbs and flows naturally. Need some ideas where to start the learning process? How about the Five Fat Files? You're never too young to start your expert training!

4.) Chores and Projects. Rich and I make our kids w-o-r-k. Nasty, four letter word, I know. When they aren't exploring or learning, they work - just like us. Josh does dishes and takes out the garbage. Ben keeps on top of laundry swapping from washer to dryer to folding spot and helps with the scrubbing. Christopher and Ariana make sure the table gets set for meals times and keep the little trash cans empty. Everyone helps in the yard, tidying up, dusting, schlepping in groceries and putting them away. Right now, Josh and Ben are helping Rich hang sheet rock. MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK. When the work is done, there are fun projects like peeling ugly wallpaper, painting, swimming lessons, planting flowers, making small scale ancient weapons of mass destruction like catapults and trebuchets... You know, fun stuff.

5.) Legos. Really? Need I say more?

Other things we do when we want down time:

1000 piece puzzles
Board games
Watch DVDs on the computer
Read something easy and enjoyable
Nap
Spray each other with the garden hose
Veg in the hammock watching the clouds

Are we on the go constantly? Absolutely not. I would collapse in a corner never to appear again! Are there times when we don't do anything? Yes! But mostly I'm sleeping when that happens. lol Everyone else will talk or rest or veg in front of a movie. If I'm excessively tired, not feeling well and awake, my mind is still active, even if I'm just praying that God give me the grace to finish out the day.

So there you go, the "secrets" to our Anti-Boredom Life. Yup, it Works for Us.