Boredom Busters for the ENTP Child
ENTP children are adventurous, questioning, and filled to the brim with mental energy. How do you keep such a child mentally stimulated in the current worldwide conditions? With everyone cooped up and locked in, how can we keep the young ENTP from feeling listless and bored? That’s what we’ll be exploring in today’s article.
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First of all, what does ENTP mean?
E is for Extrovert. ENTPs get energy from the outside world. They look outside to people and activities for stimulation and fun.
N is for iNtuition. ENTPs are focused on abstract possibilities and connections rather than the concrete details of what’s happening right now.
T is for Thinking. ENTPs prefer to focus on the logical components of a decision, rather than getting wrapped up in their values or personal feelings.
P is for Perceiving. ENTPs prefer to be spontaneous and flexible rather than having a decided, structured approach to life.
Why ENTP Children Are Especially Prone to Boredom:
ENTPs are extroverts who gain energy from exploring possibilities, experimenting, and trying out new and novel ideas in the real world – ideally with people. When an ENTP is cooped up within the same four walls for very long they start to feel drained and listless. Imagine an introvert forced to spend weeks at a time in a bustling, loud, nightclub. This is how ENTPs will feel as they stay cooped up at home without being able to have their extroverted side nurtured.
What to Watch Out For:
If your ENTP child starts to become more reclusive than usual and more fixated on their health (obsessing over minor discomforts and feelings) they may be starting to experience a grip stress reaction. When ENTPs are in the grip, they start to behave very unlike themselves. Rather than being gregarious and creative, they become cynical and narrow in their focus. They develop tunnel vision, become obsessed with nitty-gritty details that they otherwise wouldn’t have noticed, and they can even seem like hypochondriacs. If this is happening to your child, try to reassure them, give them some time alone, and avoid patronizing them. There are more tips for dealing with and recognizing grip stress here.
Activities for ENTP Children Struggling with Boredom:
Pull out the board games, jot down some riddles, and sign up for Lumosity to keep your ENTP child stimulated! These kids need a mental challenge to keep themselves from getting bored. They also need to sense that the walls aren’t closing in on them. Being cooped up and forced into a rigid routine will majorly stress them out. Give them some flexibility within the home. Let them eat breakfast for dinner and dinner for breakfast. Let them re-decorate or organize their room. Start every day with a riddle. Check out some audiobooks, like “Ender’s Game” or “Gregor the Overlander” to keep them mentally fascinated.
Books to Read:
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card, Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (an ENTP author!). For younger kids, try Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Going Places by Paul and Peter Reynolds, Westlandia by Paul Fleischman, Not a Stick by Antoinette Portis.
Movies to Watch:
A Princess Bride, Back to the Future, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, Meet the Robinsons.
Other Ideas:
Solve riddles, read thought-provoking books, have Zoom dates with friends, practice a new skill (like juggling, origami, or cooking), play Minecraft, write a short story, have a daily debate with mom or dad about a subject or rule, come up with a business idea that utilizes a natural talent.
What Are Your Thoughts?
Do you have any ideas or suggestions? Let us know in the comments!
Find out more about your personality type in our eBooks, Discovering You: Unlocking the Power of Personality Type, The INFJ – Understanding the Mystic, and The INFP – Understanding the Dreamer. You can also check out my eCourse for parents, Parenting by Personality. You can also connect with me via Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter!
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