Turn Boredom into a Good Deed.

If you are a SAHM like me, then, I am sure you have already heard the same thing as I have....."I'm bored, there is nothing to do".  Tired of hearing this,  I gave them the "when I was a kid" speech and they rolled their eyes at me (no surprise).  I felt that they were taking their summer for granted and needed to appreciate their lives.  So I put my thinking cap on.  My kids are active.  They love to get out and run around.  I decided that I wanted to give them a Value what you Have Moment.  I had to hone in on something that would inspire them.

Then it came to me.  

I tiptoed around the house collecting items for our day, while they were playing Rock Band on the Wii.  I loaded the car up with all of the favorites...football, soccer ball, basketball and a few baseball mitts.  I threw some snacks and a water jug in and summoned them all to the foyer.  They were full of questions, but not surprised, since I am the queen of surprise.

They love their school.  One of their favorite things to do is to spend hours at the school playground, utilizing all of the amenities.  Fields, courts and soccer nets.  Its awesome.  They didn't know, but I invited some of their friends to meet us up there for a picnic and a day of activity. 

I asked them if they would like to do something today that would be giving back to our community.  Grumble, grumble was what came out of them.  I explained to them that life is so much sweeter and fulfilling if we can enjoy the things that we love, knowing that we have contributed  to making  the world  a better place.  I explained to them that no effort was too small.  Every good deed counts.  They were listening. 


Once we arrived at the school playground, we set up for our picnic.  I gave each of them a garbage bag and told them that before we can play, we were going to clean up the schoolyard.  They were on board. 

They were surprised to find as much litter as we did, considering that school was out for the summer.  I reminded them that the fields were used for summer sports and that many people come here all summer. 

They were appalled at the things that people would leave behind.  It sorta made them mad.  They worked together with a common goal.  To make their favorite school playground the best.  Once the job was completed, collectively, they decided that they wanted to return once a week to clean up their school playground.  They hoped that it would make their principal smile.  I think that she would most definitely......SMILE.

Proud of their School Yard.
A few minutes of work and then hours of fun.  A perfect summer day.