Fostering Creative, Independent Children

Hello current or future parents,

One of the most common question which I am asked as a mother of three is "aren't your kids bored during this quarantine?"

Here is my answer. The word "bored" was always "banned" from our house. From day one, as soon as they able to speak, if they told me "I do not know what to do," I would say "that means you have to tap into your imagination and creativity a bit more."

"Should I remove all the books, craft supplies and games in the house?"

Their immediate response would be "No, Mama. I can find something."

And then they would find, on their own, something to be involved with.

Because of this foundation, our children have been independently coming up with their own projects along with their homework during the no-school, stay-at-home period during social distancing. My 15 year-old is reading, writing a few novels and practicing her piano and clarinet. My 13 year-old is reading, creating her own short movies, painting, animating. My 7 year-old is reading, playing piano, painting, and just recently wrote down all the countries with their capital cities in a book she made on her own. We provide the tools, paints, canvases, brushes, resources - they provide the creativity. We go on walks outside together, they girls are cooking more often and helping with the chores.

Have they watched more movies during this time? Not more than they usually do during the school year. My 7 year-old has not watched any movies. My teens have watched perhaps two or three Harry Potter or anime the past 2.5 weeks.

Our typical day looks like such

7 am Wake and breakfast
8:30/9 am Home school
10:30 Mama works while they independently read or write/math practice
12 Lunch, sometimes walk
After lunch: free time
4 pm Help with dinner
5 pm Dinner
Sometimes evening walk
7:30 Seven year-old gets ready for bed
10 pm Teens go to bed
Mom and Dad sometimes work until midnight

The day is not that long - so they take advantage of all their minutes!

In short, parents, do not have to provide all the creative solutions when they are "bored" - they can figure out their own activities. And later in life, you and they will be thankful that you let them.