'Kid rot summer': Why doing nothing might be the best thing for your child

Khaleej Times

2 days ago

We're over halfway through summer 2025, and some parents are tossing out the colour-coded calendars, cancelling camps, and letting their kids… rot.
Not in the grim, screen-zombie sense, but in the nostalgic pre-Internet, boredom-fuelled way that childhood 'used to be'.
Welcome to the era of the 'Kid Rot Summer' — where doing nothing is everything.
This trend, popularised by social media, has parents intentionally opting out of over-scheduling their kids during the summer. 'In recent decades, modern parenting trends have shifted to unnecessarily mirror adult hustle culture with many parents transferring their own busyness and productivity pressures onto their kids,' explained Dr Aida Suhaimi, a clinical psychologist at UAE-based Medcare Camali Clinic.
During the better part of the year, parents and children fall into the cycle of busyness that drives stress, promotes achievement-focused mindsets, and nurtures a fear of 'falling behind' if they're not productive enough.
When children are constantly 'on', they miss out on the time they need to rest, reflect, and reset. This can lead to emotional burnout and low frustration tolerance; persistent fatigue while having trouble sleeping; irritability and frequent tantrums; and a general loss of interest in normal activities due to overstimulation.
Over time, they may also internalise the belief that they're only valued when they're achieving.
'Children aren't mini adults — they don't need to hustle or be constantly stimulated by screens,' Dr Suhaimi said. 'Unstructured time removes external pressures and creates space for self-initiated learning, emotional reflection, and imaginative play, which are all key ingredients for brain development and emotional resilience.'
The season of nothing
'The main premise of kid rot summer is to let your kids be bored. Boredom feels uncomfortable, especially for parents unlearning the urge to rescue their children from it. But it sparks curiosity. It teaches kids to look inward and ask, 'What can I do now?'' she says.
That question often leads to the most imaginative outcomes and self-directed growth.
'Children grow when they feel safe, seen, and free to explore,' explained Dr Suhaimi. 'Instead of filling every afternoon with activities, leave a few days blank on the weekly planner. Let your child choose what to do, whether it's reading a book, building a Lego city, or lying on the floor staring at the ceiling.'
She advised that when kids say they're bored, resist the urge to provide an immediate solution. Instead, validate their feelings and provide an encouraging statement, like, 'That's okay. Sometimes boredom is the start of something fun. I wonder what you'll come up with.'
If your child(ren) are at home, create a 'boredom basket' with colouring supplies, puzzles, or random objects they can invent with. And then let them decide what to do with it. If you can get them out into nature, go on a walk or visit a park without bringing any toys — let nature guide play.
During weekends and vacations, you can also protect downtime by ensuring slow mornings each day with no alarms and no plans, just breakfast together when everyone is awake.
Preserving that slowness during a kid rot summer means being intentional about what activities are available in your home.
Screens and tablets might feel like a break, but most digital content keeps the brain active and wired. Passive screen time is reactive; the child consumes someone else's story or idea. It often delays boredom rather than resolving it, and can make children more restless in the long run.
Imagination-based play is active; the child creates, experiments, and decides. 'Unstructured play is one of the healthiest emotional outlets for children,' said Dr Suhaimi. 'Play helps children process what they're feeling. It acts like emotional first aid, allowing kids to release anxiety, frustration, or confusion in a safe way. For example, after a tough day at school, a child might instinctively start role-playing with toys, which is emotional regulation in action. Pretending to be a superhero or building a secret fort might be working through fears, excitement, or even a recent conflict.
'Play builds cognitive flexibility, language skills, and emotional awareness. It's therapy.'