My Connections to Play

Childhood quotes:

"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing."

                                                                                                           - George Bernard Shaw

"Children learn as they play. Most importantly in play children learn how to learn." 

                                                                                               - O. Fred Donaldson

      When I was a child play was a must. We didn't think about if wanted to do it or not it was just done on a daily basis. It was all we knew to do. Parents and teachers made i mandatory for us to play. I remember as a child if I was indoors for too long my parents would question me why I wasn't outside playing. If there wasn't a good reason for me being inside I was told to go out and play. In school we were outside for Physical Education and for play time. Outside play was given to us several times through out the day too. Now as an adult I see and understand how important it was for us to go out and play, especially during school hours. 

      Through play I remember learning how to play sports, climb on money bars, run, skip and so many other skills. I was a very shy girl when I first started school, but when we played outside I slowly began to socialize and make friends some of which I still have today 33 years later. I think play today is very different compared to when I was a child. Today's world is different and not as safe as it use to be when I was growing up. We could run around the neighborhood and play outside until it got dark and our parents had no issues with that or didn't have to worry about us. Today we are afraid to let our children outdoors alone or for too long.

     I think play in my life was a positive influence and helped me learn developmental skills especially social skills. What I didn't know then is that I was that not only was I learning developmental skills, I was also staying healthy by being physically active. We have taken away play from our children at home and in our schools. In school we expect our children to learn all these academic skills and pressure them to be at certain academic levels by a certain age but have taken away their play which helps them be successful in the classroom. Taking aways play is causing health issues too. We have too many young children who are obese and have medical problems from being overweight. As an adult I realize the importance of play and when I had my own children I wanted to make sure they were active so I enrolled them into sports as soon as the were old enough to play. Today as teenagers 17 and 16 years old we work out as a family. I want to show the importance of exercise in their lives. For them play is still used in our family. For us play is taking a walk together being active with us or their friends by going swimming or bike riding. Play is not just for children. As adults we need play time as well to keep us going and give us energy and focus in our lives.

Relationship Reflection

Relationships are something we all get to experience through out our lives. They start as early as birth. We form a bond and relationship with our parents and that relationship is one we will always remember. They are like anything else and can have its ups and downs but they our parent relationships teach us how to form relationships with others. I have been lucky to have had many wonderful relationships through out my life. Even today in adult hood I am making new friends and forming great relationships on my own and as a family. I think relationships keep us strong and keep us going. Not just the good ones but the bad ones too. With out the bad ones we wouldn't learn how to get up and be stronger and wiser. 

I have different relationships in my life now. I have relationships with my co-workers. These relationships are good but not as intimate and close as other in my life. Co-worker relationships serve their own purpose. We relate and help each other at work and sometimes outside of work. We keep each other motivated and help each other get through good and bad work days. Then I have my biological family relationships. These are bonds that were formed immediately which were parents, brothers and sisters. I also have my own family which is my husband and my two children all of whom mean the world to me. My husband and I have a bond that will always be no matter what happens. We know each other so well and connect in so many ways. We love and support each other always. We have had a difficult times in our marriage but always work and fight for our marriage and have made it work. As a military family we move every few years which makes it very difficult. Making new friends and then having to leave them is not easy. We are away from our families back home and  a lot of times feel alone. We got stationed in Mississippi two years ago and we thought it was going to be the worse move ever. At first it was hard. Our kids had a hard time making friends and so did we. After about six months I got a job at a child development center and to make a long story short I met some wonderful people who we now consider family. They are family to us more than our own families. It is a relationship and bond that happened quick and easy. We have all been there to help each other through so much is such a short amount of time. 

We are all of different race, religion and culture but you would think we are all one with the way we love and support each other. We help each other spiritually, emotionally, financially and everything in between. We have all laughed and cried together. This relationship has helped me and my family grow in so many ways. I am a better wife, mother, daughter and friend because of them. We support from each other in anything and everything we do in our lives. 

Several of these family members work with me so we support each other at work too. I have become a better teacher because I have learned new things from them. I am happier and at peace which in the long run helps me with everything else in my life.