It starts out innocent enough, but if allowed to fester, it can become a mind-sucking parasite. What is it? Boredom. This is Forbidden Territory for the homeschooler. Why is it so dangerous?

It can keep a person from thinking for himself. It will keep a person from realizing his potential. And people of all ages have used it as an excuse to procure mischief. They 'didn't have anything else to do' so they succumbed to nearest, more available cop-out, "I was bored." He/she wasn't intelligent, i.e. motivated enough, to find something constructive to do.

Excuuuuuse me! But that is not acceptable. There's too much to do. And we need to teach our students just that. In our house, we have a rule. No one's bored, ever. (One exception: When one has been in the sick bed for days and CAN'T do anything.) How did I accomplish compliance to this rule? Watch.

A mindset has to be taught over a period of time. I started out with The Homeschooler's Secret, teaching my students to become self-sufficient. This is a good foundation to build a self-respecting mind.

When my students were younger, I did give them some leeway and an example to follow. In the process, I helped them identify the leeching disease that struck, and taught them that they MUST kill it before it could gain a stronghold.

When they didn't know what to do with themselves, I gave them 3 suggestions. Either they took the suggestions or used them as a springboard to launch different ideas. We checked out books from the library on drawing (ships, flowers, and super heros just to name a few), card tricks, orgami, writing, decorating, kid cooking, and other fun, learning experiences.

I gave them ideas for hobbies, collections, and other interests, like music, analyzing handwriting, electronics, and the medicinal uses for herbs. One time, I had them build a house I designed to scale. It took them a month of calculations to build her and the miniature furniture they designed. They had a good time, stretched the capacity of their minds, and felt proud of their accomplishment. (And I got to see what my house looked like dressed in 3 dimensions.)

So what we've got here is a win-win situation. The dust of all my flying suggestions has settled and they've organized all their interests. These are ready at a moment's notice.

Now if they come to me with boredom on their minds, well, there are no more suggestions. I GIVE them something to do. If I see one just 'sitting around the house', I ask them: "Are you bored?" The immediate response is: "No, Ma'am." Because they know I'll put them to work if they are. Not that there's anything wrong with work, but who wants to do it in their free time?

It IS possible to live in a house where no one is ever bored. If you have to, just imagine yourself standing in front of the class in military blues saying: "Boredom is not an option, people. Let's move!" And it works for me.

Be advised: In this article, we are not talking about the misdiagnosed 'boredom' of depression or stress from problems. These must be addressed by communication, sympathy, and action.