Tag Archives: boredom

Fun and Free Activities for People and Pets

I’ve heard it said (and said it myself): a bored pet can be a destructive pet. Many animals are happiest when they have a job, be it herding sheep or performing tricks. But if your pet isn’t “employed” you can still keep him or her entertained. The best part is that it doesn’t have to cost a penny. Here are some fun, free activities for you and your pets! Grooming. Many pets like being brushed — it’s just a matter of finding the right brush and the right spot. My dog Moose, for example, is happy with any brush on … Continue reading →

Do Working Dogs Get Bored When They Retire?

I wish I could remember which book it was I read where a lady adopts a retired police dog (I think a German Shepherd), but then worries thinking it might be sick because it grows listless and seems so unhappy. Eventually she figures out that the dog misses working and sets about creating jobs to keep it busy. I want to say it was a book I read by Elizabeth Dearl, Twice Dead, but I’m not positive. (I know that book had a ferret. I just can’t remember if it was her book or someone else’s that had the retired … Continue reading →

Job Security

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Often with job boredom, also comes job security. Typically, once you have worked long enough at a job for the same company, you gain a level of security. The advantage to job security is that you don’t worry about losing your job. The disadvantage is with longevity also comes boredom. Not all companies or industries can provide job security, especially with our economy. However, unless you have poor job performance, it is usually the newest members of the team who are let go first. This is particularly true in large companies or union-based professions. If you are lucky enough to … Continue reading →

The Relation Between Moodiness and Boredom

I am of the opinion that there is a direct link between boredom and all sorts of troublesome behaviors when it comes to our kids! There, I’ve said it. I really do think that a bored child can get in all sorts of trouble—from picking arguments and fights, teasing, making messes, and getting into a moody funk. I don’t necessarily think that it is our job as parents to keep our children perpetually entertained—but it might help to just understand the correlation between boredom and moodiness (and other behaviors). Of course, some of us have a higher tolerance for boredom … Continue reading →

“Mom, I’m Bored! Wanna Do Something?”

I am the last stop—the final person on the list of possibilities that my teens come to when they are looking to alleviate boredom. There have been windows of time when I wasn’t even on the list—I fell completely off. But, now, I have returned to the bottom of the list of possible human interactions, but I know if someone asks me to watch television, go for ice cream, or whatever, that they have exhausted all of their other social opportunities… Let’s get one thing straight, however, I EXPECT to be at the bottom of the list. As a matter … Continue reading →

Keeping Some Activities in Your Back Pocket

We parents can become pretty predictable and when that happens, boredom can set in around our households (of course we can‘t be the only ones to blame for the “I‘m bored“’s!). I’ve found over the years that it is helpful to have a few fresh activity ideas tucked away in my back pocket for when things get mundane. It also helped when one of my children had guests over and things got bogged down and stressed. I could suggest one of my hoarded activities and it might mean the difference between a successful or failed play date. Let’s face it, … Continue reading →