While it can be, how shall I phrase this, excruciating-mind-numbingly-awful slightly off-putting to parent a child who is making extraordinary claims of rampant, unimaginable levels of boredom, I contend still, even after 12 years as a dad (hah, maybe because of it), that there’s little else I’d rather my child be on a daily basis.
I should probably qualify that last remark because I certainly don’t wish for my children to endure never ending boredom, but well-placed ‘having nothing to do’ time is critical for the development of several superb things in a young human (in no particular order):
- Independence
- Self-reliance
- Creativity
- Ingenuity
- Reflection
- The ability to be comfortable being alone (this one has served me very, very well and kept me out of so much stereotypical young person trouble)
That said, doing the same damn thing every damn day IS a terrible bore.
Every life, young and old, should ideally have some daily diversity of thought, experience, taste, and sound. Here’s to, if not a life of danger, a life of continuous exploration through times of extreme adventure and times of static boredom. Here’s to a life beyond ordinary.
Thanks for reading my quick thoughts on boredom and growing up, now enjoy this thrashing kindie rock guitar anthem to being anything but boredinary from Chibi Kodama.
Come for the gratuitous Eddie Money billboard shot, stay for the killer Weezer reference.
“Boredinary” can be found on Chibi Kodama’s forthcoming new album Stardust. Boredom can be found most anywhere, in the space between two somethings to do.
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