Free Time Creativity

At the end of every day, Simon says, "Ha ha, you forgot brain gym again today!"  The reality is more complex. I didn't forget--I just changed my mind. The kids aren't whining about being bored, and they're using all their free, unstructured time to be creative, which is exactly what they don't get to do in school. They're coming up with their own projects. Why make them do worksheets when they can be making playdough sleeping bags for lego characters and creating unique ways to inflate a balloon?

Lots of articles lately are touting the benefits of letting kids have free time (what they bizarrely call "boredom"). But this is a luxury, ironically, that many families can't have. If both parents work year-round, that means the kids are in school or summer camps year round, both of which are fairly structured with teacher or counselor-led activities.  My kids are so lucky that I'm off in the summer and that I'm such a slacker parent that I do not structure any activities for them and they get to be creative.