Bored

School is about to let out for the summer, which means it's almost time for the annual last day of school ritual:

11:30 AM:  School's OUT! YAY! Fun all summer!
11:45 AM: I'm so happy school is out! No more school!
12 Noon:    I'm so BORED!  I have nothing to do!

No worries, adolescents. The Mom of No has you covered with a fantastic list of things you can do to avoid boredom during the summer months.   Print out this list and stick it on the fridge.  Before you complain about being bored, review this list.

1.  Go to the library.  Yes, the building that has free books, movies and music. Even better, text a friend and go to the library together.   No idea what to read?  Ask a librarian.  The library has something for everyone.  One wonderful thing about the library is this:  if you don't like a book, just take it back and get another one. 

2.  Go outside.  Yes, I know it's hot.  Stay hydrated.  Make sure you wear sunscreen.

3.  Practice your clarinet, or whatever instrument it is that you play during the school year and leave neglected all summer to gather dust under your bed, only to pull it out four days before band practice starts, all panicked because you have scales to memorize, or marching music, or whatever it is that you were supposed to work on over the summer and didn't.   

4.  Clean your room.  By "clean", I don't mean just picking up the gum wrappers off the floor; I mean really clean it.  Organize it. Go through your old t-shirts and markers from second grade that dried up four years ago.  Toss stuff that needs to be tossed.  Recycle stuff that can be recycled.  Donate stuff that can be donated.  Oh, look! Now you can see your floor! It's a miracle!

5.  Bake something.  No recipes? There are plenty of good recipes on the internet.  Check with a parent to make sure that it's okay for you to use the oven first.  After you are done with all that baking, clean the kitchen.  Don't feel like baking?  Cook something, like dinner.  Don't know how to cook?  Now is a good time to learn. 

6.  Volunteer somewhere.  If you go to church, see if they need teen volunteers for Vacation Bible School.  Can't think of anything?  You can always pick up trash.  Watch out for cars and be safe.

7.  Do you have a pile of mail from colleges all over your bedroom floor?  Pick it up and sort through it.  Throw out the flyers from colleges you are not even remotely interested in.

8.  Chores!  Take the poor, neglected dog for a walk (make sure it's not too hot for her paws).  Is the hamster's cage clean?  If it isn't, don't be saying you're bored. Yard work is fun! Does the yard need some weeding? I bet it does.  Get to it! Do your laundry.  Don't know how?  I'm sure one of your parents would be happy to give you a lesson.

9.  Text your BFF's to come over and have a Monopoly or Clue (or board or card game of your choice) marathon.  Don't forget to clean up whatever mess you make. 

10.  Earn your own fro-yo or snowcone money.  Babysit.  Yard work.  Lemonade stand. Garage sale with all the stuff you cleaned out of your room in #4.  Be inventive.

See, here is the thing, kids- your parents do not want to hear you complain about being bored.  We still have to go to work, cook dinner, and pay bills.  We are not sympathetic to your plight, although we might be a bit envious.  We don't want to hear it.  Go find something constructive to do.