Boredom Mode

Why Boredom Matters

A letter from the founder

March 2025

I never intended to build a "boredom app." But after watching my six-year-old reach for an iPad during the slightest pause in activity, I realized something was deeply wrong.

Remember what it felt like to do nothing? To lie in grass and watch clouds drift? To sit on a porch and just... be? That's becoming a lost art. And it matters more than we realize.

The Attention Crisis Is Real

When children can't tolerate even five minutes without stimulation, we're facing a generational crisis. It's not just about screen time — it's about the capacity to be present, to process emotions, and to develop the internal resources that make us human.

"Boredom is the dream bird that hatches the egg of experience." — Walter Benjamin

The research is clear: periods of "boredom" are when our brains make their most important connections. When we constantly flood our neural pathways with external stimulation, we're literally rewiring ourselves for distraction and dependence.

What Parents Are Telling Us

"My child can't sit through dinner without asking for a device."
"My teenager doesn't know how to just sit and think."
"I've forgotten how to be bored myself."

These aren't isolated concerns — they're symptoms of a deeper issue that's affecting how we relate to ourselves and each other. And they're why we're building Boredom Mode.

Stillness as a Superpower

We're not anti-technology. We're pro-human. We believe that the ability to be still, to sit with discomfort, to process complex emotions without distraction — these are superpowers in a world designed to fracture our attention.

Boredom Mode isn't about forcing children (or adults) to stare at walls. It's about creating intentional spaces for unstructured thought, for the kind of deep connection that happens when we're not reaching for the next dopamine hit.

Join the Movement

We're building tools, resources, and a community for parents who want to cultivate healthier relationships with technology and attention. Not through shame or restriction, but through intentional practice and deeper understanding.

If this resonates, we invite you to be part of this journey. Share your own experiences, support our development, and help us build something that matters for the next generation.

With gratitude,

The Boredom Mode Team