DD is 4.5 years old and her way of saying "i want to watch ipad/netflix" is going "i don't know what to do. i'm bored!!"
It drives me nuts because she has toys, art supplies, books, etc. How do you respond when your kid says those words to you? I'm assuming i'm not the only one here!
pineapple / 12566 posts
I suggest a few different activities, Legos, books, art, other toys. I'll also offer to read a story if I'm not busy with something else.
pomegranate / 3858 posts
It hasn't come up yet, but when I was a kid, saying I was bored got me extra chores to do. We quickly learned not to say that!
nectarine / 2085 posts
I invite him to fold some laundry, pick up his room, or empty the dishwasher. He helps or he finds something else do to pretty quick! 
nectarine / 2018 posts
@tinyperson: This! DD is too young for this issue but this is our plan. We will offer age appropriate household chores as an alternative. These will be different than her regular chores.
It works either way - either chores get done for me or she finds ways to play independently with her own things.
eggplant / 11824 posts
@honeybear: I do this too. I offer fun suggestions like coloring playing with toys, etc. and predictably she'll say no. So then I move to the less fun options and ask her to pick one. Ends up coloring isn't so boring after all
honeydew / 7444 posts
@lamariniere: Haha you're too nice!!
@tinyperson: My mom used to say, "only boring people say they're bored!" and then make me do chores.
@honeybear: @catgirl: @yoursilverlining: I'll have to try that - thanks!
nectarine / 2667 posts
@Freckles: I say what your mom said! "Oh my goodness, you're BORING?!" And he says "no I'm bored." And I tell him "You've only got one brain, if it's bored then it is boring too. Go look at stuff until your brain gets interesting."
He generally hates this conversation and goes to play with something.
nectarine / 2987 posts
I offer two choices. "You can play with your duplos or build a train track."
Then when they say no, "well, I offered you my ideas. If you don't like them go create your own choices."
Then if there is whining we do work, "ok, if you aren't going to go play come help me load the laundry please." In a cheerful tone, but requiring compliance.
Sometimes I add, "being bored is no fun, but I'm so glad to have your company while we work together!"
Any further whining is ignored.
cantaloupe / 6630 posts
@tinyperson: oooh I like it! We just suggest other things to do but I do like the chores thing!
coffee bean / 40 posts
If she was saying it to get the ipad, I would tell her flat out that she wasn't getting screen time right now and she needed to pick something else to do, and offer suggestions. Once she knows screen time is off the table, she usually picks something else.
persimmon / 1420 posts
My kids have not said it yet (I'm sure it's coming soon), but my response to my 9-year-old students is, "Bummer!" and I move on with what I'm doing.
nectarine / 2115 posts
My mom always told us if we couldn't come up with something to do she'd give us a chore... we rarely complained of boredom! 4 might be young for that approach, though.
My kids are still baby/toddler so I haven't had to deal with this myself yet!
pomelo / 5866 posts
LO is a touchy feely kid so I just give her a kiss and hug her and say I am going to keep hugging her until she isn't bored anymore. Usually I get some giggles and if not it is tickle time. I also make her promise to never ever say that at school to her teacher no matter what. I tell her when I can play with her so she has something to look forward to and give her a chore or something helpful to me. It is a good time for task training. Boy then she really finds a way to play on her own to get out of doing chores. If she is really bored, then she is ready to learn a new task and then yay me for teaching her to do something.
hostess / papaya / 10540 posts
I'm mean and usually suggest that if he doesn't find something to do I'll pick and he might not like my choice as much as his own. It usually works.
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