Bored? They do it because they are bored?

There is an article in this morning's paper which looks at the "gangs" in one of our towns in the north of the state. The journalist quotes the young members of those gangs as saying they are causing trouble because they are "bored".

I think we have heard this before. "We're bored. There's nothing to do." 

My mother's reaction to that would be, "Well, I'll find some work for you to do." I remember another parent actually saying to my mother, "Your children never seem to be bored" and Mum replying, "No. They know I'd soon find something for them to do."

The Senior Cat was well aware of the "boredom" issue. He was the one who taught so many local children woodworking skills, conjuring tricks and how to plant a seedling. He showed them how to make origami cranes and told them the story of the thousand cranes.  When one of the 16yr old boys came and asked him to make something his response was, "No, you can make it yourself. I'll show you how to do it." That boy has gone on to be a skilled carpenter.  He has just finished making his partner a bench seat for their garden.

My parents didn't believe in "boredom". As kittens we were provided with plenty to do that cost very little. Yes, Mum was a mostly "stay at home" mother until the Black Cat started school. She only taught for short periods before then, mostly as a relief teacher. Of course because she was a teacher she also knew how important it was to make sure we had plenty to do. Boredom was not allowed.

I don't remember other children being particularly "bored" either. It seems to me that someone would always be planning something. There would be a game of "cricket" or the building of a "cubby" or an "experiment" with something or other. There were games of "cowboys and Indians" (with plots from the Saturday afternoons at the pictures) and, in our part of the world, "rescues at sea" and more.  

I tried explaining this to a couple of the older children in the street not so long ago. They were puzzled. "But how did you do it if you didn't have any stuff to do it with?"  The idea that we might have managed with almost nothing. "Didn't you have a proper cricket bat and ball?"  Well we did sometimes but an old fence pail and a used tennis ball worked just as well if those things were not available.

I used to think my niece and nephews had a lot of toys when they were young. Compared with us they did have rather a lot but their own children have far more. Their own children also have music lessons, dance lessons, sports, drama and more. Their lives are constantly filled with activity that is not self-generated. I don't think my great nieces and nephew will ever be bored gang members because their parents will see to that. They also have "grandpa" - Brother Cat - and his workshop. He has taught them all the basics of using some tools. They have all made things with him. They garden with his partner. She encourages them to make puppets and put on "plays".  There is always a big jigsaw on the go and, because all the activity requires fuel, they help in the kitchen.  Screen time is not banned but it is discouraged through the provision of other activities. But is this normal now? Do I dare mention the "s" word?

There is that delightful exchange in Randolph Stow's book, "Midnite" where would-be "bushranger" Midnite asks Khat (a very intelligent Siamese cat), "What is a typewriter?"  Khat's reply is, "It is a machine for writing books. A hundred years from now people will be preposterously lazy."  I wonder what he would have to say about screen based "entertainment". 

Screen based "entertainment" is obviously not satisfying the young gang members. I wonder if a woodwork shed might help?