Children are constantly stimulated in daily life. Outside of school, they’re often taking part in activities, studying or in front of a screen. Children can rarely go one car ride without some sort of stimulation to keep them occupied. Whilst stimulation is important and we have a rising generation of tech-savvy youngsters, there are negatives to having a lack of downtime.
Here are three reasons why downtime is advantageous for your son:
Self-reflection
Dr Vanessa Lapointe determines that, “Children need to sit in their own boredom for the world to become quiet enough that they can hear themselves. It is only when we are surrounded by nothing that something comes alive on the inside.” If a child is rarely left alone with their thoughts, it can be difficult for them to develop the skills to make decisions and formulate their own thoughts and opinions on matters.
Creativity
In a scenario where no games, activities, or stimulants are accessible, a child will attempt to make up their own games, or seek to entertain themselves. There can be many benefits to exercises such as this, where children are encouraged to use their imagination and tap into their own creativity. Allowing your son to become bored and trusting in his ability to find ways to create his own fun can stimulate his creativity and overall wellbeing, as thought by author, Andy Griffiths.
Motivation
When children have the time to reflect on their inner thoughts and musings, they can often establish things about themselves, such as likes and dislikes, with more confidence. Downtime presents opportunities for your son to contemplate ideas about himself and motivations for the future; establishing what’s important and learning to set goals.
Busy certainly doesn’t always mean better and through The Wynne Centre for Health and Wellbeing, boys learn strategies on how to make the most of their downtime.