18 Dec 2025

Parenting: 'I'm bored'

From Nine To Noon, 11:25 am on 18 December 2025
Tired exhausted lazy little girl lying on sofa at home. Sleepy kid resting relaxing on couch.

Photo: 123rf

Summer holidays come with plenty of opportunities for children to utter that often heard complaint - "I'm bored". 

Zhenlin Wang unpicks whether that's a bad thing and if parents can, or should, do anything about it. 

A former early childhood teacher, with PhDs in developmental psychology, she's now Associate Professor at Massey University.