"MY CONNECTIONS TO PLAY"



“Culture arises and unfolds in and as play”

-Johan Huizinga-

Dutch Historian

1872-1945

“Play keeps us fit physically and mentally”

-Stuart Brown, MD-

Contempory American Psychiatrist

The people who supported me the most during play in my childhood were my mother and older sister. My favorite form of play as a child was imaginative play. I had a collection of baby dolls, baby doll clothes, and baby doll clothes which I used for imaginative play. I often pretended that I was a mother caring for my young child by bathing, clothing, and nurturing my baby dolls. I would often reenact the typical duties and responsibilities of a mother. My older sister and mother were most supportive of my imaginative play by providing me with the necessities I requested to nurture my baby dolls. My mother would purchase all of my baby doll accessories such as baby doll crib, stroller, play pin, car seat, food, feeding utensils, and bath items. My older sister never questioned times in which I insisted on taking my baby doll along for family outings in her car seat and stroller. When I would take my baby doll out in public in her stroller and became tired of walking, my mother never hesitated to take over carrying my baby doll and stroller nor discouraged me from taking my baby doll out in public in the future. This support that I receive from my mother and older sister encouraged my imaginative play and ultimate fantasy of becoming a nurturing mother.

Play for children today is extremely different from play that I engaged in as a child. Compared to my childhood children today have a greater exposed to television, movies, computers, and cell phone. This increased exposed to various multimedia sources can be a gift and a curse to say the least. These sources can be a gift in the sense that children today have a greater opportunity than when I was a child to enhance their learning of the world around them as well as ways to use various technology resources that will prove to be beneficial in the future. These resources can also be a curse in the senses that an over exposure to these multimedia sources hinders children’s ability to engage in other forms of play that will promote overall physical and mental wellness such outside activities, group activities,  and arts and crafts. I would hope that educational institutions will reincorporate specific times each daily to focus on physical well being of children through activities such as recess, gym, arts and music, and imaginative play.

RELATIONSHIP REFLECTION

I Have Positive Relationships With:

My Son

My Father

My Mother

My Older Sister

Ways In Which Each Relationship Is Positive & Factors That Maintain Each Relationship:

My Son: The relationship that I have with my son is positive through my nurturing abilities. These abilities are expressed verbally and nonverbally such as giving daily hugs and kisses and constantly telling my son that “I Love Him”. I work to ensure that this relationship is maintained by devoting every moment of my free time to my son. I typically take time out of everyday to have story time, play time, or activity time. I recently brought my son CD-Player for his nursery and a musical CD which play various “kid friendly” songs.  My son loves when we spend time in his nursery listening to this CD and singing along together. The smile that appears on my son’s face during our time spent together is priceless and worth every second spent with him. I believe these simple moments will make a lifelong lasting impression for my son while teaching him how to maintain positive relationships/partnerships.

My Father: The relationship that I have with my father is positive through our sense of communication. My father is my first line of contact when I am in need of support or parental advice. Although I might not always agree with my father’s advice or opinion, I am confident in seeking his support knowing that he will listen to my concerns or questions with an open unbiased mind. I work to ensure that this relationship is maintained through consistent contact with my father. As a child I typically did not have daily conversations with my father as he was busy with work and I was busy with school, extracurricular activities, and spending time with friends. As an adult and parent myself, I make every effort to contact my father on a daily basis to see how his day went or update him on the new and interesting developments of his active 12 month old grandson.

My Mother: The relationship that I have with my mother is positive through her commitment of supporting me with my son when needed. As a mother, career woman, and student the amount of stressed and need for assistance have increased since the birth of my son. My mother makes every effort possible to provide her support and assist me with my son from babysitting for me to get some much needed “free time” to keeping my son entertained while I complete a homework assignment or catch a quick “cat nap”. I work to ensure that this relationship is maintained by expressing my appreciation and gratitude to my mother for her support and assistance. Over the past year since the birth of my son I have come to realize how fortunate I am to have a mother who is able and willing to assist me as many women are not provided the luxury.

My Sister: The relationship that I have with my sister is positive through the unbreakable bond and connection we share together. My sister and I tend to do everything together from shopping to activities with the kids. I tend to seek motherly advice from my sister as I admire her as a mother and her style of parenting. I tend to take many tips and ideas from my sister with regards to motherhood and parenting. My sister has a son who is 12 days older than my son in addition to a 5 yrs old son which make her a convenient and reliable person to seek parenting advice. In watching her raise my two nephews I have learned ways to interact with my son and build a positive nurturing connection. I work to ensure this relationship is maintained through consistent communication and weekend activities. As our lives become more hectic with our daily routine of work and family it’s important for me to maintain our connection and lay a foundation for our children to develop a positive relationship among each other.