Boredom is Epidemic! - By  E. R. Harding, 11/96

I recently read that children today suffer from chronic boredom.  This is also true of many adults.  Critics blame TV, videos, computer games, etc. for this new disease.  The problem is that activities which bombard us and especially our children with fast-moving stimulus don't give us a chance to slow down and reflect or thoughtfully process new information.  I'm sure adults would like themselves and their children to be more focused and reduce reliance on TV, video games,  and various other boredom enhancers.

One way to steer children and adults away from this epidemic is to substitute thought provoking conversations or moral dilemmas for the usual boredom causing habits (TV, etc.).  What better way to do this than to read and discuss the scriptures, Sunday's Sacrament meeting talks or church lessons!  Also, when a child complains, I'm bored!, perhaps we shouldn't take on the job of being their personal entertainment specialist!  Put the problem back at them by saying, Oh, come now! I'm sure you can find a way to get un-bored if you try!   Another way to help our children decrease the 'boredom syndrome' is to read to them or have them read to us.  Of course we should read ourselves out of boredom also!

Perhaps our greatest weapon in overcoming this 'Goliath', modern day boredom, is for us all to remember and live our Thirteenth Article of Faith!  Particularly the last sentence.  “If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of  good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.”  If we truly ‘seek after these things’ how could we possibly be bored!