Child psychologist Lyn Fry recommends that parents sit down with their kids at the outset of a summer break and have them make a list of all the things they’d like to do on their own during their free time. If they complain of boredom, they can refer to their list.11 They are the ones who have to figure out how to spend their time, without their parents filling it in for them. And they just may spend that time thinking about who they want to be. Learning to tolerate solitude—to be comfortable with yourself—is one of the most important skills one acquires in childhood.
