Eva Mendes isn't planning anything spectacular for her children during the school break. Instead, Esmeralda and Amada, the actress' daughters with Hollywood superstar Ryan Gosling, will have a boring summer.
In an interview with Byrdie, Mendes said she wants her daughters to wind down a bit and not be overstimulated this summer. After their time in London, where the actress organized trips and tours for her kids, Mendes said it's time to bring the boredom back now that they've returned home to the U.S.
The mother finds that moments of boredom bring the best ideas. She said that it's sometimes fun or enlightening, and maybe even dangerous if they do not have access to gadgets like television or computer. Mendes recalled that the summers she loved best as a child were when they did nothing.
"I grew up in LA, so we'd just be bored," the actress said, adding that being bored also made her miss being in school, so she used to look forward to going back to classes.
The benefits of a boring summer
Studies have shown that it's good when people engage in low-key and simple activities for a boring summer. It provides a period of incubation, allowing their minds to wander and be more imaginative and creative, per the journal Psychological Science.
Boredom may also spring up solutions to problems or dilemmas that people have been wrestling with in their minds. In children, boredom may teach them to become attuned to their emotions to cope with environmental stressors better.
When a child has a lot of free time, they can innovate and find activities to fill their day. This teaches them to self-soothe and creates opportunities for self-discovery. If the kids have a packed schedule all the time, they might not be able to discover hobbies and activities that truly appeal to them.
"If parents spend all their time filling up their child's spare time, then the child's never going to learn to do this for themselves," psychologist Lyn Fry said, per Quartz.
The point of "doing nothing" is to allow the kids to be independent in finding sources or tools to make them happy and improve their well-being. Psychologist Dr. Teresa Belton said boredom develops a person's "internal stimulus."
What kids can do if they are bored
So, when a child complains about being bored, even if they have the internet or the TV at their disposal, suggest simple activities to make the most of their time. The kids may be excited to bake some cookies or prepare pancakes in the kitchen or give gardening a shot in the backyard.
How about holding a photo shoot in the backyard? Suggest to the kids that they bring out their toys and take their phone cameras to shoot a picture story. That picture story could even turn into a video production, especially for older kids.
Encourage a lot of outdoor play because when the kids are in natural spaces, they are likely to "invent" and self-direct activities instead of following a structured set-up as they do in school most of the time.
