Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Children should be allowed to get bored (2013)

bbc.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

31–40 of 201 posts

Re: Children should be allowed to get bored (2013)

#31

Post by toenail »

watwut wrote: post #15
user3939382 wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You could argue by providing those things you’re forcing them into perpetual stimulation. It’s a matter of perspective. The difference is that like sugar, unless we’re using our rationality to override the impulse, we’ll always pick stimulation though that’s not necessarily healthy.

Words means things. If I ask you for something again and again, you then provides it for me as a gift for christmas, using the word "forcing" is massively inappropriate. It is not just a question of perspective. It is quite literally a question of what word means.

And being a parent means you are responsible for somebody. Yeah, maybe you don't "force" them, you just create offers they can't refuse.

Re: Children should be allowed to get bored (2013)

#32

Post by theGnuMe »

watwut wrote: post #14
troupo wrote: post #4

All these "should be allowed" are basically "children are people, too. Let them have everything normal people do/have/experience/feel". This applies to all "children should be allowed to play/go outside/be bored/be not bored/...." expert takes

This is not about not allowing kids to be bored. This is about them wanting parents to create situations when kids are bored (by preventing their access to electronics specifically). As in, boredom nowdays requires additional work on the side of parents.

Dad, can I bring my iPad?

Me: no

Dad, my iPad is dead. Can I use your phone?

Me: no

And so forth. Not hard.

Re: Children should be allowed to get bored (2013)

#35

Post by melvinroest »

Here's a short story that I just quickly wrote that alludes to the title. It's also something I actually do.

__The Chair That Changed My Life__

There is the chair.

Sit on it. Tell yourself: this is my life now.

"But, but, I want to watch a YouTube video! I want to be on Instagram."

No you little media fueled thrill-seeker. You sit on the chair.

"But I AM FUCKING BORED! For the love of God please let me out!"

If it helps mister thrill-seeker, you can do anything on the chair that you want.

"Anything?"

Anything. As long as you don't get off the chair.

"I'm gonna sing!"

Go right ahead.

"I'm gonna dance on the chair."

It's yours to do so.

"I'm gonna... I'm gonna... Wait a second, I should file my taxes!"

Oh, taxes? Hmm, that sounds important. Alright then, feel free to get off the chair or whatever it is that you need to do to fill your taxes - such as using a computer.

"Thanks!"

But remember, when you're done, get back on the chair. And no, no secret laptop smuggling with internet! This is an electronic free zone.

---

This exercise has given me some success in allowing myself to be media free at the times where I need it. I invented the exercise by at one point being so frustrated by my digital media addiction that I just told myself "you'd rather live your life on a chair? Fine! Feel free to do so. See what it does!" Then I got bored and I realized there was a key to explore there, and here we are.

Re: Children should be allowed to get bored (2013)

#36

Post by xarope »

christianqchung wrote: post #23

Wish there was more rigorous studies on this. Yesterday I got stuck waiting for a train for 3 hours with a dead phone, so I walked around Boston and an old lady sat down at the park to talk to me about her dogs. I got back to the station an hour too early and read the beginning of a book someone left behind. Can we get a (2024) study on this?

When waiting for lifts, instead of focusing on my phone in the vain hope of finding something useful and enlightening, I have a quick chat with those around me.

Unsurprisingly, the security guards and other neighbours now say hi to me regularly.

Re: Children should be allowed to get bored (2013)

#39

Post by krisoft »

switch007 wrote: post #6
troupo wrote: post #4

All these "should be allowed" are basically "children are people, too. Let them have everything normal people do/have/experience/feel". This applies to all "children should be allowed to play/go outside/be bored/be not bored/...." expert takes

But the younger parents are of a generation who may not know that's normal and who have grown up glued to TVs, consoles and phones. They may need it spelled out

It is also not just electronic distractions. I have seen parents who are wealthy enough so they can afford to fill their kids life with a regiment of after school activities. Monday French tutoring, Tuesday/Thursday basketball practice, Wednesday math tutoring, Friday swimming and German tutoring, Saturday basketball game and piano, Sunday sailing. And of course homework crammed into every free time around these. Not much time around that to experience boredom ever.

Naturally not everyone can afford this kind of pace so this is not a problem which involves everyone. But the insidous problem is that these parents are convinced that they are doing everything right for their kids. They are the most likely who can change course and incorporate such research.

Re: Children should be allowed to get bored (2013)

#40

Post by mft_ »

user3939382 wrote: post #10
skrebbel wrote: post #8

“should be allowed”, in practice, means “should be forced”, since it means saying no to the huge collection of devices (TVs, computers, tablets, nintendos etc) that prevent boredom.

You could argue by providing those things you’re forcing them into perpetual stimulation. It’s a matter of perspective. The difference is that like sugar, unless we’re using our rationality to override the impulse, we’ll always pick stimulation though that’s not necessarily healthy.

"Enabling" is probably a better word than "forcing"?
Post reply on HN