Honestly, it’s great getting to be a stay-at-home parent who gets to work from home, and yeah, it sounds great on paper too. Just think about it; no commute, more time around the kids, and a chance to feel like you’re finally getting the best of both worlds. But in all honesty, it usually looks more like answering emails while handing out snacks, jumping on calls with one ear tuned to background noise, and constantly feeling like something’s slipping through the cracks.
Somewhere in the chaos, there’s that little voice wondering if the kids are actually getting what they need. Not just the basics like food and safety, but the good stuff like curiosity, creativity, and the chance to figure things out for themselves. Now, sure, it’s tempting to plop them in front of something with a screen and call it learning, but curiosity doesn’t grow from a tablet. It needs space, a bit of mess, and time to explore the unknown.
Curiosity isn’t taught
Well, for starters, kids come hardwired to be curious, but that fizz can fade pretty fast if everything in their world is organised, scheduled, or handed to them on a silver plate. The magic happens when they’re given a bit of space to just figure stuff out on their own.
And no, that doesn’t mean planning extra crafts or hunting down science kits. It means saying yes more often. Yes to digging in the garden, yes to poking around in the mud, and yes to building something that makes absolutely no sense. It’s not about supervising every minute. It’s about setting them loose (safely, of course) and giving them the freedom to make their own discoveries.
Let nature do the heavy lifting
Okay, that sounds pretty easy, right? Well, yeah, because nature’s noisy, unpredictable, and brilliant. It doesn’t need apps or instructions, and it never does the same thing twice. Actually, even a walk around the block can turn into a mini-adventure if the mood strikes.
Actually, for working parents, the outdoors can be the best co-parent going. There’s no need to fill every spare second with activities. Sometimes, just opening the door is enough. No, really, depending on where you live (and if you have a garden or not), it could be enough. For example, think of mud kitchens, bug hunts, leaf piles, none of it’s fancy, but it gets kids thinking, moving, and asking questions. And honestly, it gives everyone a bit of breathing room.
Of course, they’ll need to be dressed for it. If it’s raining, or the ground’s soaked, or there’s a suspicious amount of sludge involved, you’re going to want them in proper gear. That’s where decent kids waterproofs come in. For the most part, one good set means they can stay out for ages without coming back in looking like they’ve rolled through a swamp (even if they have).
Let them embrace the boredom
Really, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with boredom. Actually, boredom is pretty brilliant. No, really, just think about it for just a moment; when kids aren’t being constantly entertained, their brains kick into gear. They start making up games, building strange inventions, or asking questions you never saw coming.
So yeah, it’s natural to feel guilty when they say, “I’m bored,” especially if you’re glued to your laptop trying to meet a deadline. That time alone can be super frustrating, right? But at the same time, boredom’s where the magic starts. It’s the space curiosity that needs to stretch out and get comfortable.
If you can hold your nerve and ride it out, chances are they’ll figure out something far more interesting than anything on TV.
Don’t answer everything
Needless to say, kids ask a lot of questions. And when you’re mid-email or trying to focus, it’s easy to throw out a quick answer just to keep things moving. But here’s the deal: those little questions matter. Like, they absolutely matter! So, how you respond shapes whether they keep asking or decide it’s not worth the effort.
You don’t need to have all the answers. In fact, it’s better if you don’t. Try saying, “Hmm, what do you think?” or send them on a little mission to figure it out themselves. Just think about it this way: it buys you time and teaches them that curiosity isn’t about getting it right. It’s about being interested enough to keep looking.
Make curiosity normal
At this point, every adult knows this, but kids are like sponges, and they pick up on more than you’d think. If they see you getting stuck into new ideas, making mistakes, or wondering out loud, they’ll start doing it too. Besides, curiosity isn’t something you need to carve out time for. It shows up in so many different ways.
You all could try out a new recipe as an example. But really, none of it has to be perfect. It just has to be real. When curiosity feels like part of everyday life, kids soak it up without even trying.
