My Connections To Play

"Play is the exultation of the possible" - Martin Buber

"Work consists of whatever a body is obligated to do. Play consists of whatever a body is not obligated to do." - Mark Twain

I was raised as an only child so I did not have anyone to play with at home. My barbie dolls were my favorite toys. I felt like they were my friends. I had barbie cars, palaces, and every type of accessory you could think of. When I counted my barbies in my teens, I had collected over 100 barbies. My mother was a huge influence in getting me to play outside. My skip it and jump rope were my favorite things to play with, with my neighborhood friends. Growing up in New York seeing girls play double dutch in the street was very common. My friends and I would enjoy playing outside for hours. My mother was also a huge component in my play with inspiring me to play with my easy bake oven. She loves to cook and allowed me to find the inner cook in me through my easy bake oven. 

Play today has some similarities and differences to the way that I came up. children do not go outside as much as they used to. I loved playing outside with my friends. I got a lot of physical activity. Children today my go outside but they do not play as long as they used to. The children at my center are always ready to go inside. They play for a little while and then they are tired and bored. It is so different. But I do see how children have wide imaginations like I did with my barbies. Children today still play with dolls and cars and trucks that allow them to imagine different scenarios. They enjoy using their heads and expanding their imagination. 

Relationship Reflection

Relationships are essential to my life. I truly believe that every person I meet has a purpose in my life. It could be for a brief moment or for a lifetime. Their presence mattered at some point and time. 

My mother has to be the strongest person I know. I gain so much just from being in her presence. We are extremely close. We have always had the type of relationship that allowed me the comfort in telling her everything going on in my life. I think the way we maintain our relationship is in communication. I wasn't raised in a house of "do this because I said so". Everything I did came with an explanation or reason behind it. And if I did not agree, I was not scolded for politely voicing my opinion. I was given the chance to talk about my feeling and while essentially my mother won every dispute, it felt great to have a voice. I knew my mother cared because she listened to me. She still does! What keeps us going is our ability to share with one another without tearing each other down. 

Kisha is someone who has been in my life for years but has recently became a very strong spiritual influence in my life. Living life according to the things that God has for me is extremely difficult; especially since I am so used to doing my own thing. But as I grow in my faith Kisha helps to keep me grounded and focused. What helps keep out relationship going is honesty and accountability. We have no problems being brutally honest with each other. We give real advise. Where most friends tend to agree and allow their friends to make dumb decisions, Kisha and I ensure that we are doing the right things. It's great to have a friend like her. 

Bailey is my puppy!!!! I love him like he's my son. I spent so many years confused about people and their strange relationships with their dogs, but ever since I got Bailey he has had my heart. While I have some really great people in my life, I come home to an empty house everyday. But now that Bailey is there I feel like he had filled a small void. I have something to look forward to and someone to be responsible for. I really don't know what I would do without my baby!!! 

Having positive relationships in my personal life really does effect me professionally as an Early Childhood Educator. I find myself more relatable to the children. I also find that I have a better attitude at work. When things are not going well in an educators life it can sometimes effect the job that they perform. The children that we work with deserve to have educators who are always ready to work. When life happens and outside relationships spoil, I have seen teachers lose some of their spunk and therefore lose control of their class. We are human so it's impossible to believe that we will be perfect everyday. But having food relationships will help keep us as close to perfection as possible.