07/01/2025
It’s pretty common for kids & teens to report to their parents that they feel “bored.” Afterall, they have become quite accustomed to a hyper-stimulating environment, often moving from their school day to their sports, or after-school activities, straight home to their homework & dinner, followed by time on their devices (including social media & video-games), or perhaps FaceTiming with their peers to cap off the night. For many Moms & Dads, it seems rare for there to be a lull in the routine, but when there is- often times parents are left with a child who might be frequently asking the proverbial question, “what are we doing today?” Or, “can I invite Jenny over to play, or Jonny or… (& the list keeps going until they find a friend whose parent says yes). The reason this can be daunting is that parents cannot always serve up their child’s entertainment, as it will not teach them anything in life, on how to be content being alone, or by themselves. Nor is it practical, either. 😌Instead, here was an activity list made with a young lady, after having a long discussion on all of the ways that she could use her time alone, as opposed to constantly seeking Mom’s attention, or calling friends multiple repeated times… she vowed to give these hobbies for self-growth & self-love, a good solid try. She also agreed that in order to be successful in life, as well as a good friend to others, you need to like yourself and the person you are. “And that means you have to like spending time with yourself, too… besides always looking for other people to play with.” 🥳😃WOW- what incredible reflecting on this young lady’s part! She came to these conclusions with just a little prompting in our session together, as we explored why it might be important to learn how to spend time alone… and to build confidence & strength in that☺️ ~KristyFernand,LCSW (201)383-5716
