Boredom!

Billy was bored. The snow was gone for now, so he couldn't use his sled. He had put his LEGO set together several times and didn't want to do it again right away.

He had read the books on the bookshelf. He had taken Freckles for a walk. He was tired of playing games on the iPad. He was tired of watching TV. He wondered what the girls did when they were bored.
He found Mandy, sitting with her knitting. "What are you up to, Billy?," Mandy asked.

"Nothing," Billy replied. "That's the problem. I'm bored, and I can't think of anything interesting to do."
"I get bored sometimes, too," Mandy said. "When I'm bored, I try to find a new knitting project I can plan for. I think about what colors I want to use. By then, I usually am looking forward to the new project, so I want to finish the one I'm working on, and that makes it more fun."

"But I don't knit," Billy said.

"Sometimes it's good just to sit and think, or imagine things in your head, or work out a problem," Mandy suggested.
"Thanks, Mandy," Billy said. "Sitting still is hard for me, but I'll try to think about how to keep from being bored."
"We all have to learn to deal with boredom in our own way, Billy. You're a smart doll. You'll find a way," Mandy assured him.

Billy found Jolena busy adjusting the bindings on her skis. "Jolena, do you ever get bored?" he asked.

"Sure I do," she replied. "Everyone gets bored sometimes."
"What do you do to stop being bored?" Billy asked.
"Well," Jolena began, "sometimes I try to think up a new trick I can do on my skis. Sometimes I daydream, or I pretend I can do something impossible, like fly over the housetops and look down at everything on the ground. Or I pretend I'm dancing onstage in front of a lot of people and not afraid I'll make a mistake." 

Are you bored?" Jolena asked Billy.
"Yes," Billy replied. "I can't think of anything fun to do. Daydreaming or pretending sounds like fun, but I don't like to sit still for long."

"You don't have to sit still to pretend," Jolena said. "You can act out what you're pretending." Billy thanked Jolena for the suggestions. He had a lot to think about.
Charlotte was practicing her violin when Billy found her. She was playing scales.

She stopped playing when Billy came in, because she knew he had something to say. "Charlotte, do you ever get bored?" Billy asked.

"Everyone gets bored," Charlotte said.
"What do you do to stop being bored?" Billy asked.
"I like to make up little tunes in my head," Charlotte replied. "Sometimes I like to pretend I'm performing in an orchestra with lots of people listening, or alone on a stage. I imagine I'm really good, and that people love to listen to me."

"I don't know what to pretend," Billy said, "and I'm not sure I would think that being on a stage in front of a lot of people is fun."
"You'll think of something," Charlotte said. "We all have to find our own ways to deal with boredom."
"I'll keep working on it, Charlotte," Billy said. "Thanks."
Billy decided to ask Mariah about his problem. He found her in the dining room window. She was writing in her journal. She looked up.

"Mariah," Billy began, "I'm trying to learn how to deal with boredom. Do you get bored?"
"Everyone gets bored," Mariah said. "When I get bored, I try to make up a story in my head. Then I write it down." 

"Sometimes I like to pretend I'm a famous writer," Mariah went on. "I imagine myself signing books in a book store or receiving an award for one of my books."

"I wouldn't know what to write about," Billy said, "and signing books doesn't sound like fun to me."
"Just write what you did during the day, Billy," Mariah suggested. "That's what I do with my journal. I write what I did and what I am thinking about. Then I can go back and read it when I get bored."
"I'll try to think how I can make that work for me. Thanks, Mariah," Billy said.

"You'll find something you like to do, Billy," Mariah told him.
Billy decided he would start by taking Freckles for another walk. While he was getting his jacket, he found Veronika reading a book. He told her he was bored and asked if she had any suggestions for what to do.

"Boredom is good for us," Veronika said. "It gives us a chance to learn how to entertain ourselves."

I have lots of things I like to do to stop being bored, but they may not work for you. You will find something. Don't worry about it."
Billy looked down at the floor. "I guess I'll take Freckles for another walk," he said. "She never minds going out."

About twenty minutes later, Veronika was sitting on the bottom step of the staircase, watching the squirrels play in the front yard, when Billy and Freckles came back into the house. Billy was very excited. "You'll never guess what happened!" he cried.

Veronika waited, because she was sure he was going to tell her.
"When I took Freckles out, I saw the lady across the street, looking up into the tree," he said. "She was upset. She has a new little kitten, and it had run out the door when she opened it. It climbed up into the tree and wouldn't come down."

"Cats do that sometimes," Veronika said. "So then what happened?"
"I gave her Freckles' leash, and then I climbed up the tree," Billy replied.

"I talked to the kitten," Billy continued. "I told him I would help him, and he should just hold onto my neck. Then I climbed down and gave the kitten to the lady. She thanked me and handed Freckles' leash back to me."

"That was a nice thing to do, Billy," Veronika said, "and very brave. The kitten must have been almost as big as you. Weren't you afraid he would scratch you?"

"My vinyl is tough," Billy replied. "I wasn't worried. The kitten was just frightened once he was outside," Billy replied. "The lady looked at me for a long time before she took the kitten back into the house. I don't think she has seen any dolls before," Billy said.
"At least not dolls that climb trees and rescue kittens!" Veronika laughed.
"You know, I'm not bored anymore," Billy said. "I think I'll borrow some paper from Mariah and write down everything that happened, so I don't forget it. It was an adventure!"

"Next time I'm bored, I'll read it and remember how exciting it was to rescue a kitten and how good I feel because I helped someone," Billy decided. "I think I'm a superhero in training!"

Now Billy knows what to do the next time he feels bored. What do you like to do when you're bored? 

Cast--
Jolena: Götz Happy Kidz Lena in Aspen
Veronika: Götz Classic Kidz Vroni
Mandy: Götz Happy Kidz Katie 2015
Charlotte: Götz Happy Kidz Anna in Paris
Mariah: Götz Happy Kidz Mariah, "Chosen" from My Doll Best Friend
Billy: Götz Happy Kidz Lily of London

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Note: No dolls were harmed during production of this blog. All dolls shown are Götz Happy Kidz, Classic Kidz or Little Kidz. If you like these stories and are willing, please make a donation of any amount to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or any organization that supports pediatric cancer research and treatment. We are not affiliated with St. Jude in any way other than these donations.

"The Doll's Storybook" is not affiliated with Gotz Dolls USA Inc. or Götz Puppenmanufaktur International GmbH.
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Mariah: Stories from The Doll's Storybook, Emil: Stories from The Doll's Storybook, Classic Tales Retold: Stories from The Doll's Storybook and Our Favorite Verses: Poems from The Doll's Storybook are available from BookBaby and other booksellers worldwide, such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble. 

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