It's the middle of summer. The last school year is a distant memory and the upcoming school year is looming on the horizon. Right about now your kids are probably feeling like they're stuck in The Great Divide. Summer camps have most likely ended or about to end, and there's not a whole lot going on during the day. Inevitably, you'll hear the usual, "I'm bored" or "There's nothing to do." What do you do?

You could amaze them with stories of your youth and how you and your friends would make your own fun, but you'll probably get some sighs and rolling eyes in response. I mean, Geez! How many times have they heard you say, "When I was your age..." 

Boredom is not something that has to be fixed. There's nothing wrong with it. It just needs to be used the right way. That's right. I did just say that. The actual definition of boredom is "the state of being bored; weary because one is unoccupied or lacks interests in one's current activity." So let's break it down into manageable components.

1. Unoccupied time. What so wrong with that? Nothing. Humans are not made to be ON all the time. We need down time. Just as sleep gives the physical body a chance to regroup and replenish, unoccupied time gives the mind that same opportunity. Now, Mom, Dad, in order for this to work, you have to lead before they'll follow. How much do you appreciate your unoccupied time? Hmmm... *Cough* I'll just leave you with that thought.

2. Lacking interest in one's current activity. Think of those times when you must engage or pay attention and you can't just whip out your cell phone and play twenty rounds of Angry Birds. The dreaded summer reading assignment comes to mind. If you've got a reluctant reader on your hands, the suggested reading list doesn't always do much to help the situation. If the book is not about something they're interested in (which is usually the case), here comes the boredom. So even though your son knows that once school starts he's going to be expected to participate in a group discussion about the assigned book, he still does his best to keep it at bay until you nag him to crack it open. Not looking forward to this fight? Then here are a couple of hacks to help ease the pain:
  • If you start early enough, you can read a chapter, not every day, but perhaps every other day, out loud together. Then quiz each other on certain facts about what you read.
  • Make a game of it. Offer some small prize or incentive for finishing the book by a certain time. Of course, you still might want to include some kind of assessment, perhaps NAME THAT BOOK style, to make sure he actually understood what he read.
  • Have your son teach you about the book like he's telling the story himself. As he completes each chapter, he can give you the update on what's going on with the characters and the plot. He can also express how he feels about the progression of the story.
It's perfectly okay to let those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer be just that. Lazy, hazy, and crazy. I know every Tiger Mom out there probably has a target on my back for saying that, but it's true. Some of the best times of your life have happened without your help. Give your child the luxury to just BE before the school bell starts ringing again. Who knows what creative currents may start flowing in that stellar mind of theirs! Once the new school year begins, you just may see a happier, more positive and better-adjusted young scholar than you've ever seen before.