My Connections to Play

     Through play, children learn what no one can teach them.
                                                            Lawrence Frank

     Play is a child's life and the means by which he comes to understand the world he lives in.

                                                             Susan Isaacs


        When I was a young child, my family and my teachers supported my play.  As I can recall, my gramdmother and my mom would always say, "You need to play.  It's good and healthy for you."  Each day I would go outside and play with my friends.    I would make mudcakes and pretend they were pies, play house with my dolls and play games such as "Duck, Duck Goose', "Red Light, Green Light", "Hide-and-Go-Seek and "Simon Says."  Those were good days and fun days.  I was not allowed to sit in front of the TV all day.  The onl;y time  I really watched TV was on Saturdays because cartoons were on most of the day.  My teachers supported my play when I was in kindergarten and first grade.  There were centers set-up in the classroom which supported that extra play in addition to going outside for recess. It made school and learning more fun.  My favorite center was dramatic play because I always liked to dress-up.
         I feel that play today is similar and different from the play that I engaged in as a child.  Children still play the outdoor games that I played when I was younger.  Children have a more variety of toys and games to play with today.  I was limited to the toys that we had to play with.  I basically grew up playing with dolls, legos,  lincoln logs and the etch-a-sketch.  Today,  children have so many manipulatives and blocks to choose from.  Some children don't play as much because they have video games and the computer to occupy their time which is not healthy for them.  They're missing out on the physical activities as well as taking in some fresh air.  My hope is that more adults will understand the value of play and how it is meaningful to their children.  As we can see, more and more children are obese or have more health issues due to lack of play and engaging in physical activities.  Play is needed for all children.  There's more to gain than to be lost if you don't engage in play. 
         Although I'm older now, I still engage in play with the children at my center and they enjoy it.  Play is something that is fun and enjoyable and will never go away, but it will continue to go on and on whether we we choose to engage in it or not.

Relationship Reflection

Relationships/Partnerships are important to me because it gives you that sense of security in knowing that you have someone that you can confide in and trust. It's that feeling of knowing that when you are feeling down or going through situations that those who are close to you are there to give you advice, be a friend and to give you that support that is needed.
Several people with whom I have positive relationships with are my mother-Sandra, my daughters-Tiara & Shakira, my fiance'-Johnavon, my best friend-Natoshia and my pastor-Nicholas.  Each relationship is positive because they are always encouraging me to be the person that I am and strive to do my best in everything that I do by putting God first.  Factors that contribute to developing and maintaining each relationship is the unconditional love and the special bond that each reflects on my life.
Insights regarding challenges to developing and maintaining relationships that I have learned from my experiences over time are that you must be patient, able to accept constructive criticism whether good or bad and be a good listener, not always wanting to voice your opinions.
Special characteristics of these relationships are that I share a unique bond with each individual.  It makes our relationship special and strong.
My experiences with relationships/partnerships has impacted my work as an effective early childhood professional because I can better understand the issues or concerns that affect my 27 staff.  I have a close and positive relationship with each of them.  Sometimes it can be challenging, but they each know that I am there for them every step of the way.