Boring In on a Problem

My kids have picked up on a shift in my response to the existence of boredom.

They live pretty full lives but every once in a while they say what every kid says to their parent, which is "I'm bored."  I used to reply, "Not my problem."  This taught them quickly that they were not going to get any help from me in extracting themselves from their present state of boredom.

But I have since decided this is giving boredom too much credit as a problem that warrants a solution, even if I've made it clear that I have no interest in being involved in that solution.  For boredom is not a problem.  So now when they come to me and say, "I'm bored," I reply with, "That's nice."

I'm not glorifying boredom and I obviously care about my kids' wellbeing.  But part of that is helping them to know what's worth fretting over and what's not, and how to handle themselves outside of my assistance.  (I will admit: I could use a little boredom in my own life!)