When I was younger I was sometimes bored. Somehow I imagine this happens to lots of kids but it certainly felt like it was only me who was afflicted at the time. Strangely, I credit many of my successes and talents to these periods of boredness. I can juggle; balance 6ft. ladders (and other objects) on my chin; perform a variety of wonderful coin; card, rope, and other magic tricks; and compose spreadsheets; deal with software issues; and probably some other things I’ve forgotten along the way. The point is this: boredom can be a motivator.
Imagine my joy, then, as I sat (helplessly chained to my computer) working on a variety of tasks related to my schoolwork, and I saw my son in his play area smiling at himself in the mirror. He was full of glee. He was smiling and rocking back and forth. He would pause, to marvel at the great things his body was able to do, and then go back to smiling again. My son marveled at his fingers. He was overjoyed at the movement of the rings he had picked up. He giggled at the shadows created by his moving hand. This was more than simply chance interactions with his environment but, instead, this was my son entertaining himself. This is a gift of value that cannot be overestimated.
This natural curiosity will eventually turn into collections, hobbies, and numerous talents. My son will be the beneficiary of all of the freely available information on the internet. He will learn what he wants to learn (hopefully in addition to a formalized degree or two) and will become a sincerely interesting person. I’m hoping that my son will be creative. Perhaps I overvalue creativity because of my field (but I doubt it). Self-entertainment drives interest and produces creative content. Today I saw signs of this wonder in my son. What a joy!