My Connections to Play

Two quotes that summarized what play represented for me in childhood are; Play is our brain's favorite way of learning by Diane Ackerman- Contemporary American author, and Children need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity by Kay Redfield Jamison-Contemporary American professor of psychiatry. The following pictures represent essential play items for my younger self. As a child I loved playing board games such as checkers and tic-tac-toe. It eased my mine and relaxed me. The swing and the slide made me feel free and also eased my mine. All three gave me great enjoyment.

The people in my life supported play by making sure that I had enjoyable things to do at home. My family always involved themselves in play as well. My grandparents use to take us on picnics, fishing, camping, and we always played board games. As a child, I had a swing that was hung from a tree. I think that I was fortunate to have people in my life that provided meaningful opportunities for me to play. Play was very important to my entire family. Playing on the slide was also one of my favorite play items. I always played on the slide, swings, and the merry-go-round in school.

However, play today has changed somewhat because I do not think people value play as much today as they did when I was younger. My wish for today is parents will show an increase in awareness of the benefits and value of play. Play today is filled with electronics; children today get little physical exercise because of all the electronic items available now. I truly wish that children would get out more and explore their environment.

In conclusion, play has always been important in my life. I lost my mother at the age of 9, and play helped me to mentally cope with that loss. Play has always served as a way for me to escape from the world as well as, connect to it. I learned many things from play and today I kind of view being in school as a form of play for me because I enjoy it and it help me to relax. Play today is just as important as it was when I was a child.

Relationship Reflection

Relationships are important to me because they help me to make it through this world with some ease. My relationship with my God, my husband, children, family and friends help me be the person I am. In the beginning my relationship with my father, grandparents, aunts, and uncles helped me to become the person I am. They taught me to love unconditionally and to put God in my life. They taught me to love all people and treat everyone with respect. I was taught that if someone asked and I have to give, then that is what I should do. I was surrounded by love growing up and this was very important because my mother died when I was 9 years old.

Currently, I have several people with whom I have very positive relationships with. My sons, husband, my friend, and my dog are very important in my life. My husband and I have a positive relationship because he supports me in everything that I do. He gives me the space I need to complete my school work and contributes to house chores allowing me time to devote to my studies. He listens when I feel overwhelmed and encourages me when I get discouraged. Our relationship is maintained through the love and respect that we have for each other, and the open lines of communication we have. Most importantly is the dedication we have made to maintain this relationship.

In addition, my two sons are always giving me praise for being the loving person that I am. They always tell me how much they love me and motivate me to always do my best in all areas of my life. They love unconditionally and it is the best feeling in the world. What maintains these relationships are love and commitment.

Also, my friend provides me with an ear without criticism. She supports me in whatever I do and the decisions that I make. What contributes to our positive relationship is the fact that we keep our conversations between the two of us. We are loyal to each other and this maintains our relationship.

Concerning my dog, I love my dog and he loves me. I am there to feed and give him love. He is there to just love me and this is more special that some people can fathom. Just to see him after work, outside where I expect him to be brightens my day. He is always happy to see me and always whimper when I leave.

In conclusion, the challenges to developing these relationships were interference from things of the world. Sometimes people may try to keep you from developing and maintaining positive relationships because they may be lacking in their lives. Also, being overloaded with work sometimes has proven to be a challenge to maintaining relationships. I see the dedication, commitment, and bond that my husband and I share as a partnership as well as, a relationship.