I’m the type of parent who thrives on a jam-packed schedule. Weekends are often filled to the brim with activities, and the thought of a blank calendar makes my heart race - in a bad way. Chill days? Not for me. I like to keep things moving, whether it's during term time or over the holidays.
But one late night, in the frantic last weeks of school - after decorating the hall for my youngest son's graduation, sorting gifts for three teachers, and attending multiple sports day events - I came across an Instagram reel that stopped me in my tracks. The message was simple: Don't plan your child's summer. Let them get bored. It's the best thing for them.
At first, I was unsure. Me? Leave a day unplanned? But the caption struck a nerve. It talked about how we oversaturate our kids' lives with constant stimulation: activities, playdates, camps, and never give them space to feel boredom, let alone learn how to overcome it. That reel has lived rent-free in my mind ever since.
So, when we flew out of London at the start of summer, I told my husband: "This year, we're letting the kids get bored." He looked at me like I'd grown a second head, but he also knows I don't back down easily.
Before the holidays started, we even prepped the kids. We made a sign for the fridge with the word B-O-R-E-D, each letter offering a way to deal with boredom:
Be creative, Outside play, Read, Exercise and Do something helpful.
They memorised it. They kind of live by it now. And remarkably, I've barely heard "I'm bored" in weeks.
Of course, being on holiday adds a layer of unpredictability, there aren't as many toys, no local library to visit, and everything "new and exciting" wears off pretty quickly. A few days in, the novelty faded and the questions began: "What can we do now?" But I held firm. No panic, no suggestions, just a calm, "Whatever you want."
And you know what? They figured it out.
We've still got weeks left before school starts again, but I'm already amazed. They've invented games using nothing but rocks on the beach (a Mario Bros-inspired adventure, no less), swapped their usual after-school tennis for beach paddle ball, turned long car rides into lively rounds of I Spy, and rediscovered the joy of card games in restaurants instead of begging for screens. I had to re-teach myself all the games I used to play as a child - and in the process, I realised just how great our own screen-free childhoods really were.
I'm not anti-tech. They still get screen time - but only after doing 30 minutes of homework. Yes, even in the summer. It's not punishment; it's preparation. And honestly, it helps break up the day.
Will this work for every child? Probably not. Will it work every summer? Maybe not. But this year, watching my kids find fun in simplicity has been the most refreshing part of my break. They're problem-solving, playing creatively, and showing us they're far more resourceful than we give them credit for.
Letting them be bored might be the best parenting decision I've made in a long time.