My Connections to Play

Quote #1 “In our play we reveal what kind of people we are.” Ovid (Roman poet)

When I was younger I was really into doll babies and pretending to care for them and nurture them.  I pretended to be their mother and I took them everywhere with me.  Today I still have all nine of my doll babies in storage and will never get rid of them.  They are a BIG piece of my childhood.  I contribute my nurturing spirit and love of working with children to my childhood and playing with my dolls.  It gave me the chance to step into a motherly role and take what I observed from my own mother in caring for my dolls.  That same caring and nurturing personality carried over into adulthood and my career. 

 

Quote #2 “Always jump in the puddles! Always skip alongside the flowers.  They only fights worth fighting are the pillow and food varieties.” Terri Guillemets

Growing up I was also really into playing outdoors in the backyard.   I grew up in the country where we were surrounded by nothing but trees and there was a dirt path behind our house that led to the town’s baseball field.  My sister and I enjoyed attaching our red wagon to our bike and riding down the path, stopping to collect pine cones.  One day we even stopped to collect a baby turtle.  It was fun growing up during a time when playing outside was fun and where we could really use our imaginations. 

Today children are more engaged in playing video games after school and watching TV.  I admit I had a Nintendo growing up and watched Power Rangers every day after school, but it didn’t occupy a lot of my time.  I still went outside and played, rode my bike, jumped the ditch to go over my neighbors’ house to play basketball.  My parents encouraged my sister and me to play outside.  They signed us up for little league softball, my dad played basketball with us on weekends, and often times rode down the dirt path with us on his lawnmower.  Also, my parents knew how much I loved doll babies and being a nurturer so every Christmas they got me a doll, until I got to high schoolJ. It’s so important for parents to encourage creative play in their children and limit the amount of time they spend playing video games and sitting in front of the TV.  My hope for children today is that they will be more open to using their imaginations and not rely so heavily on the newest toy craze that they feel they must have.

Relationship Reflection

Relationship Reflection

Having a positive relationship with others is beneficial in the fact that it gives you a sense of self-worth and confidence.  It’s great knowing that there is always someone out there that truly loves and cares about you and that you are not alone in this world.  I know that if I need anything whether it is support, encouragement, or just a shoulder to cry on, I can call on my family and friends to be there for me.  My closest relationship is to my parents, Michael and Cindy.  They are my biggest support and I don’t know what I would do without them. 

My mother is like my best friend. She is truly my twin, because we not only look alike but we act alike. She knew me like the back of her hand and took that knowledge to nurture me and support me. She encourages me to do the best in everything that I do and helps give me confidence to strive to do better in areas I felt weak.  She’s tough on me and her advice is often times too truthful and straight forward, but that advice is making me stronger and wiser.   The most important factor that allows us to maintain our positive relationship is the fact that we are so much alike, plus I spent an extra 9 months with her J.   My dad, Michael, is my biggest support. He is the person I can go to for spiritual advice and he makes me feel special by spending time with me and telling and showing me how much he loves me.  I am truly a daddy’s girl.  The most important factor that contributes to our closeness is trust and communication.  My dad and I talk often and we have a lot in common.  We like some of the same things and have a sense of humor that others don’t quite understand J

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have girlfriends who I value having as friends.  Brandy and Kisha have been good friends of mine since kindergarten.  We all went off to college, but still kept in touch.  Both Brandy and Kisha are getting married this year and we’re all bridesmaids in each other’s weddings.  It’s great having friendships that stand the test of time. 

BFFs: Kisha, Me, and Brandy

I think the biggest challenge in maintaining positive relationships for me is time and distance.  Lately all three of my friends have been busy planning their weddings that I often times feel  as if they don’t have time for me (unless it has something to do with their wedding).  We live in a country where everyone is on the move, busy, not really taking the time to simply enjoy life.  We often times don’t make time for friendships, because we’re busy making time for work, our careers, and making money.  Another challenge is distance.  We often times move far from family due to work or to start our own families and we tend to only visit around major holidays.  This seems to be an issue with my sister and me.  We have lost our closeness with each other because of our physical distance, and only see each other every few months.  I feel that it’s important to make time for loved ones no matter the distance or time, because you never know if it’s the last time you will see someone. 

Me and my sister (the early years)

My experiences in establishing and maintaining positive relationships play a major role in my career.  Because of my caring, kind-hearted spirit, and love of nurturing others, I am able to connect with others and be sympathetic towards them and their needs.  This characteristic is important in building positive partnerships with children and their families, and being able to communicate effectively. 

 

Learning through Play

“Learning teaches us what is known, play makes it possible for new things to be learned. There are many concepts and skills that can only be learned through play.”

-David Elkind