My Connections to Play

   Quotes about PLAY

        I remember when I was a child, all I did was play! When I would come home from school and after my homework I would play, on the weekends I would play and during school closings/holidays I would play. If the weather was nice I would play outside until it was time for dinner and if I had some extra time after dinner then I would play before bed. Barbie dolls were my favorite toy to play with. I had all things Barbie! I had the Barbie Dream House, Barbie limo, cars & trucks, Barbie clothes and accessories, collectable barbies and a Barbie traveling case to keep my dolls in. Whenever I would play with my barbies, I would make up stories about their lives and I would act out the stories while playing. When my friends would come over, we would share our Barbie collection with one another and collaborate stories to act out. Our imagination would run wild with the stories we would act out. Sometimes we would make up our own stories and other times we would act out scenes from movies or things we seen our parents do. Not only would I act out stories but I would also make clothes for my barbies. My grandmother was a seamstress and I would imitate her by making clothes for my dolls. It is interesting that all of my dress making for my dolls had paid off into a current business I have making evening and wedding gowns for women.

          When I would play outside, I loved playing Hide and Seek and Tag. I always seemed to find the best hiding spots because I would rarely be found. I wasn’t a big fan of riding bikes but I enjoyed skating while holding on to the back of my cousin’s bike. Around my neighborhood I would often go exploring with my friends. We would act as if we were going on an adventure while hiking through the wooded areas. I even remember going through this “Harriet the Spy” phase. Harriet the Spy was a movie about a precocious preteen who would spy on everyone including her friends and neighbors. I would go around spying on everyone in my neighborhood and my friends would spy with me. We would jot down things we saw in mini notebooks and collected things we found. It was so much fun to just explore our environment freely. Our neighborhood was not always the safest but it seemed like the elders in the neighborhood would protect us and everyone stuck together to raise the children in the community.

Since my mom was an Early Childhood Professional, play was encouraged in my household. My mom would often join in with me while I played with my Barbie dolls.  She would follow my lead and act out the stories that I created for the dolls. When I reflect back on that time in my life, I just remember how enthused and engaged my mother was in my play. Our family was big on board and card games. We would often play Monopoly, Clue, Sorry, Uno, Goldfish and Pokeno. Pokeno was our family favorite. We would have a family game night every Friday just about and we would play Pokeno for pennies and sometimes quarters. I would rack up in pennies to put in my piggy bank because I was pretty good at playing the game. Another family favorite was Spades. Spades was typically the adult’s game but my mom taught me how to play so I play it now as an adult.

In today’s society, children live for technology. With ipads, tablets, tvs and video games, children has lost the art of open play. Children are not given the freedom to explore and create the way they did when I was younger. I remember cartoons were a luxury to enjoy on Saturday mornings only or if you had cable with the Disney Channel and Nickelodeon then it was still limited to just the weekends. Some children as young as 9 months are sat in front of the tv and some toddlers can operate an Iphone better than I can. Many children play video games and that is about the most play they actually participate in. Some kids do not go outside like we used to and that is primarily because the neighborhoods are not as safe as they used to be. I feel that play is focused a bit more in the early childhood field but once a child enters grade school, it is not encouraged much. I hope that people see the value in play and encourage it more for the next generation to benefit from.

 

References

Retrieved from: http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=play+quotes&FORM=HDRSC2#!?q=play+quotes&view=detailv2&&id=BE3B189E9BEEDAF4F215CA9DA4E7F3E6EF2802C7&selectedIndex=5&ccid=2WtfYZST&simid=608043125244298967&thid=OIP.Md96b5f6194936bc5ae4eb141fa79c272H0&mode=overlay

 

 

 

 

Relationship Reflections

“Healthy relationships are a vital component of health and wellbeing. There is compelling evidence that strong relationships contribute to a long, healthy, and happy life”(Kreitzer 2015).

When I became a mother, my relationship with my child has become the most important relationship in my life. My son is my number one priority and he has changed my life tremendously. The love of a mother to a child is a love like no other. He has taught me the true meaning of love and how to put another human being before myself. I try to set the best example possible since I know that he is looking up to me. I nurture him and reassure him that mommy his here to love, guide and protect him. I am his first teacher and will instill morals and values in him so he can grow into a confident, well-mannered and successful adult.

Although I am a single mother, the relationship and the partnership that I have built with my son’s dad have allowed us to co parent successfully. We work a team to provide our son with optimal love and care. We are no longer together but we understand that our son is the priority and we have to be on the same page when raising him. We create a stable living environment that works for all of us to grow into a stronger family unit. My son is aware that his dad and I are friends and that we love him very much. I am glad that my son’s dad and I have realized that we may not have worked in a romantic relationship but we are better and stronger as friends and co-parents.

My relationship with God has grown deeper and stronger as I grew older. Since I was a child, my family has always instilled in me beliefs about God and that it is a spiritual being greater than us. I understood somewhat as a child, but as I grew older I developed a personal relationship with him. By attending church and reading his teachings in the bible, I have a better understanding of him. My faith has grown deeper and I know that God strengthens me. With his love, grace and mercy, I know that I can do all things.

My family help set the foundation for who I am today. They have equipped me with the right tools to successfully navigate through life’s challenges. My mother has inspired me to be the best I can be and not allow anything to stand in my way. My father has taught me how to love myself and not to allow anyone to validate who I am. My grandmother has provided me with a sense of security that taught me how to trust others. My aunts and uncles have given me life advice that I will always carry with me. My family is the core of my existence and without them I do not know where I would be.

My friends help keep me grounded. The relationships that I have developed over the years have taught me how to be a better me. My friends are loyal and honest and they will always “keep it real” even when I do not want to hear it. They help me improve on my flawed areas and help uplift me in the areas that I am strong in. They are always there when I need them rather it is a helping hand or a shoulder to cry on, I can always rely on my friends. My friends always know how to make me smile even when things are not going so well. They always remind me that “When life throws you lemons, just make some sweet lemonade.” I am truly grateful for those relationships.

The relationships that I have built with my colleagues have helped me grow both professionally and personally. Since I have recently made the transition from retail to early childhood education, working with individuals in the field has helped me learn more about the profession. I have had the opportunity to work with some amazing individuals who have a substantial amount of experiences and knowledge about the early childhood field. I have built strong relationships with my coworkers that allow me to succeed in the work place. We offer support to one another when needed and we work as a team to get things accomplished. Because of our cooperation and collaboration, we are able to maintain a high morale within the workplace. We are able to perform our job duties and carry out our responsibilities successfully. Without the relationships that I have built with my colleagues, it would be challenging to succeed at my job.

Last but not least, the relationship that I have with myself is very important to me. Learning about who I am and how to love myself, I am able to give love and show respect to others. I am able to accept others for who they are and understand their perspectives. I am able to be a loving mother, supportive relative, loyal friend and cooperative coworker. Understanding my abilities and areas of improvement help me develop into the person I am today. I am still a work in progress but with all of the relationships that I have created in my life have elevated me to reach my full potential.

 

References

Kreitzer. M.J. Hathaway. K. 2015. Why are Personal Relationships Important? Retrieved from: http://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/enhance-your-wellbeing/relationships/why-personal-relationships-are-important