I'm Bored

I'm not really bored. I just happen to be quoting my children more often than I like to hear. What happened to imagination and entertaining yourself? Why do children need to be entertained every waking minute of the day? I can see the effect it has on their schoolwork due to our being lenient on entertaining our children. Growing up in northwest Omaha, being the child of blue collar parents with no money management skills, the entertainment provided by my parents took the form of chores. It kept me occupied and out of their hair, and taught me to not whine about having nothing to do. I remember one occasion where my stepfather salvaged lumber from an old garage that he planned to use to build a shed. I was taught the joy of pulling nails at about the age of seven. What seemed to be an eternity, was actually a weekend. I was in a safe environment, supervised by a parent, and occupied my otherwise wasted time, learning how a hammer works. At the time, the chore is grievous. Looking back, the experience was invaluable. My hard work did not go without reward though. After the shed was built, my stepfather made me a pair of stilts from some of the remaining wood. I got several years worth of enjoyment from those stilts. To this day, hard work is part of my make up. As an adult, I can't remember a time where I was bored. Life continually requires my full attention and effort. There is just no time to be bored. If there was an opportunity, I would probably take it. I feel the need to be doing something for fear I waste more time than usual, and feel guilty afterward. I guess that's why I have stuck with a trade for over 25 years now. I would go absolutely insane sitting at a desk, day after day, staring at the same scenery. Chances are, I would be bored.