When I was a girl, I don't ever remember uttering the the modern child's battlecry, "I'm bored!" Actually, it would never have occurred to me to complain of boredom. There was an infinite world to explore, both outside and in. How could I be bored?We didn't own a television. TV was a new concept when I was a girl. The TV's had huge cabinets with tiny little screens. The pictures were black and white. And since we didn't have a TV, I didn't grow up glued to the set.
What did I do?
Played with my dolls. I was in the unusual position of owning many dolls, several of which were foreign in origin. My father was a minister in charge of the missionary board so missionaries on home furlough frequently stayed with us. Every single one seemed to bring me a doll. My mother, an accomplished seamstress made clothes for my army of dolls.
Read books. I believe I had an enormous advantage over today's child because I grew up without television. My parents spent precious money buying me books. Back then, paperbacks for children were scarce so they bought me hardbacked books. I still have them. My children read them and now my grandchildren are reading them. I was never bored because I had an infinite number of worlds and characters to keep me company.
Play outside. I took my fired up imagination outside where I dragooned my brothers into taking part in my fantastic adventures. Imagination is a wonderful thing. I suspect that my own stories have their seeds in the rich treasure trove of stories I had at my disposal. I was always a daydreamer, happily carrying out my ideas in the great outdoors.
Craft work. I was most fortunate to have a mother who was extremely crafty. And every new craft she she tried, I was also allowed to try, even when I was small. Embroidery, painting, sewing, weaving... everything she tried, I did too.
No electronic games, no television, no iPod, no Wii. Surprisingly, I thrived. And I didn't suffer from boredom.
anny
Yep, fancy us surving the dark ages without ipods and whiz bang TV things like Wii, DVD's and X-box with only black and white TV, and in some places only one TV channel...quel horreur...
ReplyDeleteAnd we were allowed to play in the street, run through neighbor's yards, drop by without calling, and ride in the bed of pickup trucks. Wonder how we all survived? And without the LATCH system! Shocking...
ReplyDeleteMy standard answer to 'I'm bored' is 'clean your room' (if it needs it) or 'read a book.'
Funny how kids can't occupy themselves with everything they have to do in this modern world.
ReplyDeleteIf it isn't electronic, I don't they they even bother to think of it as something they'd enjoy doing!
Sad.
I grew up playing with dolls, cookware, Barbie's, etc.
Played outside, in Arizona, in the frickin' heat! Ick.
Never really was bored, I must say.
I also lived in Arizona and never thought a thing about playing outside.
ReplyDeleteWe played outside, even if that meant taking your book outside and finding a shady patch to read it in. The rule was come home when the streetlights came on. We moved in and out of each other's yards, houses, and I too, can't remember ever being bored.
ReplyDeleteAnd I bet you're still able to sit alone in a quiet room without fidgeting. That's a lost art.
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