So, we have a lad living with us who normally doesn’t. He’s a lad who very much NEEDS to be kept busy so his mama has been looking for ways to meet that need. Some boredom busters she’s come up with for teens are in today’s post.
Continuing Education
My son continues with his homeschooling, and her lad is in need of finishing his high school diploma… so learning will be at hand for two lads in this quiet household.
I told mama about SchoolhouseTeachers.com so hopefully she’ll use my subscription to help her lad as it’s a cost-effective way for her to do so.
This message from The Old Schoolhouse: We are again teaming up with over a dozen homeschooling and family-friendly companies to provide NEW SchoolhouseTeachers.com members with 19 gifts (available while supplies last) when they purchase the Ultimate (PreK–12) Annual Membership this May with code: 19GIFTS to lock in the annual price of only $139 (reg. $224.97). (This is a non-refundable rate and available in the US only.)
Seems a pretty good deal eh?
Helping the Missus
One of the things she has added to the list is “helping the missus”… that being me. A lot of people have a hard time pronouncing my last name and her son is one of them. To him, I’m the missus. And he’s been relegated as a personal servant. If I have a project to do, guess who gets to help me? 🙂
It’s rather odd actually. I’m used to telling my son “I need you for this task, should take x amount of time”. My son happily helps me complete whatever task, but I’m reluctant to pull him away from his studies. This young man though… he does exactly what I ask without asking questions about how long, and offers opinions on how to do the job better, or differently etc. I think it’s a difference in age and boredom levels. 🙂
Our most recent project was making an isolation cage for a new to me rabbit. It’s very nice to have an extra pair of hands when I need them.
Games
What young person doesn’t like playing games, whether on-line or a table game. My son loves playing a variety of card games and board games. It’s a great way to kill 15 minutes to an hour, provides time for laughter and connection, and sometimes you can even squeeze in some learning.
Mr. J loves to play on-line games or on his phone, but like me, his mom wants him off once in a while. Having a whole shelf of board games is a boon to us all.
Animal Companions
Sometimes, just sometimes, having an animal around is the best way to break the boredom. Gregory (pictured below) is the newest rabbit addition to my rabbitry. He’s used to getting attention from people so I’ve told our new young man (Mr. J) to spend all the time he wants with Gregory.
Today it was funny. Gregory came in the house and managed to scare himself badly as he was exploring. He dashed into the safety of Mr. J’s lap. The biggest smile burst forth! So cool to see! Then he promptly peed….the smile disappeared and emergency scooping, laundry etc happened. It was SO good to share a good laugh, oh my, I chuckle just remembering.
Household Chores
Did you know that a certain young man has never swept a floor or loaded a dishwasher? That same young man also happens be an excellent cook, and likes taking the time to craft a well-made meal. So he’s learning new skills which takes a fair bit of time to do for a highly distractable young man. It’s rather fun to watch.
The benefit is that with each new skill learned, comes confidence. His long-term goal…to have his own apartment, and a job he can hold down. Baggage or no baggage, long-term goals will slowly be met!
Side-benefit: As Mr. J learns new skills, my son occasionally steps in to help. Giving the opportunity for both lads to learn. Learning to work side-by-side and to share the tasks at hand.
Physical Exercise
Get outside for a walk morning and afternoon… get out get out get out. Enjoy the sunshine, pump muscles, walk, run, jump.. I don’t care. Just get out and get your body moving. It’s good for your body and your mind to get busy. Even for just 15 minutes, getting exercise changes what your body is doing. It helps medications to do their job, reduces headaches from eye strain, and guarantees a better nights sleep.
I do hope you will join in on our linky. The homeschool review crew has put together a social media challenge. This week the topic is Boredom Busters. What boredom busters for teens, children or even yourself do you have to share?
Lori says
Good, solid, basic ideas that it is easy to forget about. We do a lot of games, especially with my youngest!
Annette1 says
games are fun! 🙂
Annette1 says
games are fun! 🙂
Dawn says
Physical activity is so important! Mine also spend a lot of time with their animals.
Annette1 says
animals are a good thing to spend time with, they broaden us in ways we don’t expect.