"MY CONNECTIONS TO PLAY"

CHILDHOOD QUOTES

“When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.” (When I became a WOMAN…)

(The Bible - 1 Corinthians 13:11)

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.”

-Dr. Seuss (Dr. Theodor Seuss Geisel)

“CHICAGO ROLLER SKATES”

As a child one of my favorite activities was roller skating. I learned how to roller skate when I was about 4 years-old. I would skate in my backyard, and skate around the blocks in my neighborhood as I grew up over the years. Most importantly, I would go to the roller skating rink with my cousins and friends every Saturday night. We would practice our steps throughout the week after our homework was complete, then we would plan our outfits. Skating was a very important playtime for me, because it gave me the chance to be social and meet new people, it kept me in shape, and skating gave me an incentive to keep my grades up, because the rule in my house was, if you didn’t get good grades, you couldn’t go skating.

“SIT-N-SPIN”

My second favorite toy when I was a child was a “Sit-N-Spin!” I would sit in my backyard for hours and spin, and spin, and spin. I would spin so much when I got up, I would fall down in the grass, and it was so fun. Sometimes we would have a contest to see who could spin the fastest, and the longest without falling off. It was great!!!

Today’s Play

Today’s play options are still the same, for some children, parents recognize the importance of play so they limit T.V., video game options, and computer options. Some parents, like myself understand that activities like baseball, football, soccer, cheerleading, track, roller skating, and other activities are important, to keep kids socially, emotionally, and physically active. Board games like Monopoly teach kids the importance of handling money, buying real estate, and the importance of saving. Other games like Clue allow for children to use their memories to help teach problem solving skills. The WII System and the X-box w/ Kinect System does promote physical and mental strengthening.

As adults play is still an important way to build on and strengthen characteristics. As a child we are drawn to certain activities, based on our childhood. But when we become adults sometimes those activities are not attractive to us, we become different and sometimes are interest change. I personally still go skating, I like to play basketball, and I like to watch football, baseball, and hockey. I also enjoy playing multiple board and electronic games. This allows for me to interact with my children and show them the importance of family bonding.  

RELATIONSHIP REFLECTION

Relationships are important to me, because we as people cannot do everything alone. Building relationships is an important part of life. Rather it is a Mother, Father, Daughter, Son, Best Friend, Colleague, or Professor/Teacher, it doesn’t matter people should strive to build happy and healthy relationships depending on the person, or persons you have the relationship with, you may have to establish specific boundaries to maintain and keep that relationship healthy. One statement I do not mind making is this, “do not let any unhealthy relationships, take over your life, cut the strings if you must, no matter the time you spent building it!” Sometimes we get too caught up in the timing, and do not realize that particular relationship was weighing us down, and stopping our blessings.

Don’t be afraid to meet new people, this brings networking opportunities, and  new friendships.

I have healthy positive relationship’s with my children, my business partners, and my best friend. The relationship with my children, is a must they are all under 18 years of age and they depend on me to guide them, build them up, and provide nourishment. My relationship with my business partners, allow for me to bounce many ideas off them, we connect and understand each other in business and in friendship. We are able to separate business from pleasure and have boundaries of respect, we agree to disagree. My positive relationship with my best friend has been ongoing since 1^st grade. We are friends for life. We talk, laugh, uplift, talk through, share, and support each other through true friendship. We also agree to disagree and maintain our friendship no matter how busy life gets, we can pick up a phone in the middle of the night and talk. (real friends are the ones you can call @ 2:00 in the morning) 

The relationship with my business partners are partnerships, because of the dynamics and are seen that way because of the divide in responsibility, finances, and company names.

As an effective early childhood professional , my ability to create, maintain, and drop unhealthy relationships can have an impact on me, because I have to deal with people every day in this field. So it is in my best interest to recognize unhealthy as well as health relationships/partnerships. The children and their families are the most important at the end of the day!