A Something in a Summer's Day: 2
Summer boredom brings creativity
Some summer days seem so loooong--especially when your Mother won't let you watch a movie....
Hels' boredom brought on a burst of energy around her pens, ink, and sealing wax. She began writing little tiny letters to her future self and then sealing them with wax.
I was thinking she might want me to put them away for her to read when she was an adult, but she was writing them to read next summer.
And, really, next summer is a long way in the future for a 12-year old!
Lou's boredom brought on an afternoon of "potion-making". Ingredients included hand cream, baking soda, salt, corn starch, and mint from the garden.
They stirred and mixed for a very long time, then moved to...guess where? The tree house which, after a little more hammering, is now a spa.
We all got invited up in the evening for hand massages. One of my favorite little scenes in the tree house is a line of about 10 huge galvanized nails all nailed close together upon which a beautiful bar of soap now rests. The bugs are either going to love it or hate it.
I'll try to remember that boredom can bring creativity the next time I'm about ready to cave to the movie requests.
Your girls are both so creative...and it's not just a coincidence. You're so right about the benefits of boredom. We had a rough start to our summer because my kids weren't used to all the free time but I'm starting to see the rewards now as well.
On the flip side, it seems as if the Kit movie inspired hours and hours of creative play for them...
But I think I know what you are saying, that it's not about no media, but making mindful choices and not using the TV as a crutch.
Hope you continue to have hours of creativity, however it may come about!
Playing catch up! I fell asleep last time I had a hand massage. Love that tree house its fantastic!
It might be a good idea to read the letters next summer while she remembers that she wrote them. I once wrote myself a letter to be read some twenty or twenty-five years later - and of course forgot about them. And when I remembered I couldn't find it!
Margaretha
So easy to cave! But so much better to play than watch TV all day. So funny that her "future self" is next year! That's great. Thanks for sharing your kids' boredom busters. Mine spent the day alternating between the hose/ water balloons and their huge bubble wand. Picking berries is always good too :)