Dwello - Boredom
Top Tips and Support
💫Core Emotion: Boredom
👾🧚 Species: Flatnod
🎂 Age: As old as the third time someone said ‘Ugh… There is nothing to do!’
🏠Home: The Grey hours, an in between place where time feels stretchy and slow
Who is Dwello?
Dwello is the feeling of boredom. That quiet, in-between space where there’s nothing obvious to do. No rush. No screen. Just... stillness. For many children (and adults), Dwello can feel uncomfortable. But Dwello isn’t bad. He just shows up when the world slows down. And with your help, your child can learn to meet boredom with imagination, patience, and curiosity.
How can we help our Children learn about Dwello?
🤔Start With Curiosity
Try asking your child:
““Where do you feel Dwello in your body right now?”
(Is it in your shoulders? Your tummy? Your legs?What do you think Dwello might want today?” (To stare out of the window? To draw? To flop on the floor?)
🧰Use the Dwello toolkit
Let your child help create a real or imaginary kit for when Zigzaggle visits. They could include:
• A sketchpad and crayons
• A blanket or reading nook
• A Boredom Tombola jar see our website: www.the-emps.com
• A squishy toy to fiddle with
• A photo or drawing of Dwello, just being
Then say: “Let’s help Dwello settle in and see what shows up.”
🌈 Secret Soft Side
Dwello doesn’t want to stay bored forever, they are just waiting for something that feels worth it.
Even the tiniest spark of surprise or connection makes Dwello’s big eyes light up. And when Dwello smiles, it feels like the first sunny day after weeks of clouds.
👇 Dr Nat’s Top Tips for parent, carers and Teachers: When Dwello is around…
· · Stay present, even if they feel lost. Boredom is not an emergency. It’s an invitation. Let your calm nervous system be the steady anchor.
· Name the feeling, not the problem. Try: “Hmm, this looks like a Dwello moment. That makes sense. Let’s sit with it together for a bit.”
· Don’t rush to fill the silence. Dwello isn’t asking for fixing. He’s asking for space. For breath. For nothingness.
· Invite possibilities gently. Offer options without pushing:
“Would you like to draw, wander outside, or help me sort this drawer of odd socks?”
· Boredom often leads to brilliance. That window-staring, floor-flopping, time-stretching moment may be where imagination first sprouts. Trust it.
· Reflect later, not during. It’s okay to feel awkward in the stillness. Afterward, you might say:
“Dwello came for a visit today. What did you notice? What helped you move through it?”
Things You Could Ask or Say:
· “You’re not used to feeling bored. That’s okay. It’s new. I believe in your ability to find something.”
· “What does your Dwello like to do?”
(Make up stories? Doodle? Build strange cardboard worlds?)
· “If Dwello had a colour today, what would it be?”
(Grey? Pale blue? Stormy yellow?)
· “What do you think Dwello is trying to tell us?”
🧘 Disarming Strategies for Dwello (Boredom)
🃏 Tangle Timer
⏱ Set a timer for 5 minutes and try any activity until the bell rings.
Helps unwind the Time Tangle by making time feel shorter.
🃏 Big Breath Stretch
🙆♂️ Take a deep breath, reach arms high, then flop forward with a sigh.
Turns the Sigh Wave into a refreshing reset.
🃏 Color Spark
🎨 Look around and find three bright colors. Say their names out loud.
Breaks through the Mono-Mood with a pop of interest.
🃏 Shiny Switch
✨ Change just one small detail of what you’re doing — a new pen, a new seat, or a silly voice.
Scrubs away the Interest Eraser.
🃏 Thought Catcher
🦋 When your mind drifts, write or doodle the idea before it floats away.
Helps gather the Drift Drop into something useful.