Let Kids Be Kids: The Case for Boredom, Space, and Independence
We love our kids. Like, love love. And because we love them, we often feel this pressure to make sure their every minute is filled with something enriching — school, after-school activities, playdates, homework, sports, birthday parties, weekend plans. You name it, we sign them up for it. Their schedules are busier than ours were in our 20s.
But here’s the thing: kids don’t need us to manage every minute of their lives. In fact, they shouldn’t have every moment scheduled and supervised. Somewhere along the way, we got the idea that good parenting means constant involvement — but sometimes the best thing we can do is step back.
Because our kids? They need space.
School Teaches Discipline — Let Life Teach the Rest
During the school day, our kids are told what to do, when to do it, and how. They’re learning to listen, follow rules, sit still, pay attention — and that’s great. School gives them structure and discipline. But outside of school? That’s when they need to unstructure a little.
That’s when they need to imagine, to tinker, to sit in silence, to create worlds out of cardboard boxes, and to have arguments with their siblings that they actually work through on their own.
If every hour after school is packed with organized activities or parent-supervised play, when do they learn to make decisions? To explore their own interests? To figure out how to fill time on their own?
Spoiler: they don’t.
Boredom Is Not the Enemy
We’ve gotten so good at preventing boredom that we’ve kind of forgotten its purpose. Boredom is a gift. It’s the spark for creativity, curiosity, problem-solving. When a child says, "I’m bored," what they’re really saying is, "I haven’t yet figured out what to do with my own brain."
And that’s not a cue for us to swoop in with a solution — that’s the cue to do nothing. Let them sit in it. Let them wander. Let them try weird things. That’s how inventions are born. That’s how play becomes powerful.
So the next time your kid tells you they’re bored, instead of offering five suggestions or turning on a screen, try saying: "That’s okay. I trust you to figure it out." (And then walk away. You got this.)
The Over-Scheduling Trap
It’s easy to fall into the trap of filling up your child’s calendar because it feels productive, helpful, or simply necessary to keep up. We’re surrounded by families doing all the things. But just because we can do more doesn’t mean we should.
You don’t have to say yes to every party. You don’t have to sign them up for every sport, every club, every enrichment class. It’s okay to have a weekend that’s wide open. It’s okay to block off an afternoon for "nothing time."
Not only will it benefit your kid, but it will give you space, too. Parenting is beautiful and rewarding and full of joy — but it is also a lot. It’s okay to want time to just breathe. To finish your coffee while it’s still warm. To not hear “Mama” or “Papa” every three minutes.
Letting your kid have alone time is not neglect. It’s a gift to both of you.
Raising Independent Kids Means Trusting Them With the Small Things
If we want to raise kids who grow into confident, resilient, self-sufficient humans, we have to give them the chance to be those things now. That means:
- Letting them choose their own outfit, even if it’s a little wild.
- Letting them make a mess, then clean it up (eventually).
- Letting them get frustrated, try again, and figure it out.
- Letting them entertain themselves without us jumping in.
You don’t need to helicopter. You need to hover less and trust more.
Make Space on Purpose
Structure is good. Plans are helpful. Kids do well with predictability. But within that structure, build in gaps. Create intentional space for downtime. Even schedule it if you need to. Call it "Creative Hour" or "Do-Nothing Time" or "Quiet Play."
Whatever you call it, protect that time. And let it be messy, open, unproductive. Because that’s where some of the best growth happens.
At Parentr, we built our platform to help parents stay organized — not to cram more into their calendar, but to help them manage what matters so that they can make space for what doesn’t always make the list: breathing room, boredom, creativity, quiet.
We’re here to help take a little off your shoulders, not add more on. So you can stop hovering and start trusting.
Let kids be kids. Let them wander. Let them grow.
And let yourself breathe a little, too. You deserve that.
