My Connections to Play

"Almost all creativity involves purposeful play. "

-Albert Maslow

Growing up I was always in roller skates, everywhere I went skates were my main means of transportation. When I was wearing skates I was happy I felt that they were connected to me. When I didn't have my skates on it was like a piece of myself was missing. The second I got home from school my skates would go on, my mom would continually send me outside because I would be skating in the house. When she sent me outside it was not only to get me out of the house it was to get me to play and explore. My  mom bought me pair after pair of roller skates, and never questioned why I was wearing them. I could skate around the block, to the park, friends house and school without concern or worry. I did not have a cellphone and was not required to be supervised every second of the day.

 

 

The second item that I played with on a regular basis was Legos. I played with my Legos almost every day. I would sit on the floor (in my roller skates) and build with Legos for hours. Legos provided me with a way to explore design and building because when I was a child Legos did not come in kits with complex instructions or a right way to build a building or car. I was not limited by the instructions, I could create using a variety of little bricks in a multitude of colors.

Today most toys or play items have a purpose or a correct way to use then. Children are given kits to create an certain item or object. We are not giving children the time to explore and create on their own without rules or instructions. Children need to be given materials and told to create.

"Play fosters belonging and encourages cooperation."

-Stuart Brown M.D.

Relationship Reflection

Each one of us is shaped by the people in our lives that we interact with, some on a daily basis some less frequently. I have at times felt like I am an island all alone in my journey but when I look and reflect I know that I have so many relationships that help me along the road. Some I interact with daily and others less frequently but they are still important to not only my professional journey, but also my personal journey.

My husband and partner is life is one of the most positive relationships that I have, he is my sounding board and know when I need him to be a coach or a cheerleader and supports me in all decisions that I make. He provides constructive criticism and keeps my spirits up when I am feeling overwhelmed. This relationship has taken years to develop and nourish with open communicative and while we have struggled and had many growing pains we have always found common ground in our love and respect for another. 

My children are another positive relationship that has continually grown and evolved throughout the years, from tiny babies to adulthood my relationship with them has changed based on what they needed from me and what I could provide. As a parent it is hard always keep positive and support you children when they are challenging you at every turn, but after each period of disequilibrium come balance and peace. It is the knowledge that they will be at peace and will one day understand why I said no, or required a certain action from them that allows me to push forward and strive to maintain a relationship with my children. I once told someone that it is the parent's responsibility to seek their child out and meet them where they are, I have found that this is true for all relationships. Each of my children have different needs from me on different days and I need to be available to them and try (I may not always succeed) to meet their needs.

In my professional life I have a team  of teachers that I can look to for support, suggestions, and collaboration.The staff and I have the same goals which is to provide the highest quality care and education to the families we serve, they cannot do it without me and I cannot do it without them. This is a partnership and while my interactions with each of them are different and unique it is important that they are treated equally and with the same level of respect. 

Working with a variety of personalities and often times struggling to put my own personal agenda aside has allowed me to be able to work with families in order to be their coach or cheerleader, maintain open communication, meet them where they are and treat all of them with the same level of respect.