“Then, Find Something To Do.” She said.

For some reason last night, I thought about the most important thing my mother ever taught me. Teenagers get bored and as a teen troublemaker I would often whine to my mother how bored I was expecting her to pull entertainment out of some imaginary hat. Instead she would reply with a slightly aggravated undertone: “Then, find something to do“. Being left with no other choice I always did.

Little did I know this was a valuable life lesson I would carry with me into adulthood and teach to my own daughter. I see many people in my life waiting around for something wonderful to happen as if God himself would deliver success on a fluffy, silver cloud with a side of “just in time“. And that’s it. They wait. Waiting turns into months, months turn into years and one day they finally speak up to tell the world about their frustrations. But my mother would say “Then, find something to do“. Me, as an adult would add “and make success happen. Don’t wait for it”.

Being the offspring of a computer geek and web developer, my daughter has an overload of electronics. However, I limit her time on the computer, her game play, TV watching, etc. After this time is up, she must find something to do. That is the rule. Whenever she whines about being bored, I repeat almost verbatim what my own mother used to tell me knowing she will thank me for it later in life.

I see some parents using electronic babysitters to pacify all their children’s time. This is a huge mistake in my eyes because it tends to spawn adults who carry those habits into life and before you know it they live in your basement at the age of 32 planning their life around their next EverQuest session. I am exaggerating a little but we need to encourage our children to develop their own sense of imagination, drive and success. Those qualities they must find by themselves by finding something to do on their own without our assistance or time sugar substitute.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Tia Wood