‘I am bored’ need not make parents recoil in horror

livemint.com:

Inside Out 2, sequel to the successful Pixar film, which released nine years ago. The newest instalment takes forward Riley’s journey, who is now a pre-teen. And once again, we get immersed in a world of emotions—Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust—that control the feelings within her.

Only this time, new entrants, Anxiety, Embarrassment, Envy and Ennui, vie for the control of Riley’s mind. Orange-tinted Anxiety takes over as the pre-teen tries to fit in at a hockey camp. A dialogue from the film—conveying Riley’s struggles with growing-up pains—hits real hard: “Maybe this is what happens when you grow up.

You feel less joy." I also watched the third season of Kota Factory 3. Shot in black and white, the series mirrors the monochromatic lives that teens lead while preparing for competitive exams in Kota, a city known for its coaching centres. It’s been difficult to get Inside Out 2 and Kota Factory 3 out of my head.

How does a child’s life go from being vibrant and colourful to monochrome in a matter of a few years? If I had to imagine the workings of the adolescent mind, it would be a constant whirring of nuts and bolts—an endless routine crammed with classes, extracurriculars, co-curriculars, enrichment sessions. As a young mother 11-12 years back, I read numerous parenting books and subscribed to various blogs on child development. All prescribed unstructured play time for toddlers—letting them take their own time to achieve their milestones.

However, few talk about a similar departure from structure for pre-teens and teens. A lot of children in this age group are trying to figure out what they want to do, while also grappling with physical and emotional changes. How important is it then for families and caregivers