Surviving the Complaints

When you first stop filling every moment, your child will protest. Loudly. This is withdrawal, not evidence that boredom is harmful. A child used to constant stimulation needs time to recalibrate.

Keep a boredom box somewhere accessible — art supplies, building materials, random craft items. Do not direct your child to it. Given enough unfilled time, most children find it on their own. The magic is that they choose to engage.