It seems to be a summertime phenomenon, this curious nostalgia for boredom. Social commentators, in the course of their regularly scheduled criticism of modern parents and parenting, pause to wax lyrical about those long, empty summer days of their youth. Why, they wonder plaintively, must kids be so darned scheduled these days? They remember the kingdom of boredom as a spur to creativity -- to building lean-to's in the woods, or making up comic operas for their Barbies to perform, or uncovering family mementoes in some dusty attic trunk.

There's something to be said for all that, but I think remembered boredom lacks the crushing reality of the real thing. If we're really honest about it, a lot of that boredom was really just wheel-spinning, consumed by nothing more creative than lying on the floor listening to crazed houseflies buzzing as they bounced off the window screens. Nothing to watch on any of the three channels that came through the rabbit-ear antenna. Once you'd read until your eyes ached, there just weren't many options.

I've been thinking about it because one my kids is enduring a few weeks of enforced inactivity, with rigid splints on both arms, thanks to a fall that resulted in two fractured elbows and one fractured wrist. The long-awaited trip to YMCA sleep-away camp - cancelled. Bike rides around the neighborhood -- dream on. Shooting hoops in the back alley -- forget about it. Poor guy can't even brush his own teeth. When we got the news, I prepared for the worst -- whining, frustration and snarkiness.

But, after almost two weeks, I have been pleasantly surprised. He's been reading a lot. He has figured out how to (sort of) play bass guitar with just his fingertips. And we have abandoned our usual rules on "screen time," leaving him free to watch TV, play X-Box and computer games, and IM his friends as much as he wants. So far, he's kept it pretty well in balance, and I have seen no signs of his brains leaking out his ears, or of sociopathic tendencies. He does get restless, of course -- but it's manageable.

So, as we prepare for this coming Wednesday's online chat about healthy, smart video games for kids, I'm coming to the discussion with a new appreciation for what technology offers our kids...entertainment, flexibility, and an engaging escape from a dull reality. Trust me, the New Boredom is a big improvement.

Comments? E-mail susan@connectforkids.org