My Connections to Play

These two quotes best describe what play meant to me because they express the fact that whether people realize it or not, play surely teaches a child fundamentals about many different things.  Play broadens imaginations and elongates creativity.  Play keeps the mind ready for challenges and endless possibilities.

Those three items that I have chosen, all symbolize responsibility.  I enjoyed dressing my barbie up and combing her hair to make her pretty.  I enjoyed the swing set because it was adventurous.  A child can do multiple things on it.  That is what make it special.  A child could never get bored.  The miniture four wheeler expresses swiftness.  It makes a child feel in charge and large. 


My parents allowed my sisters and I to play as much as we wanted, because most of the time they did not want us lingering inside the house all the time.  They even would come out and play along with us just to make us feel special.  They would play games, swing with us, teach us how to swing bats, and bounce basketballs.  All of this sculptured fundamentals in us as children.

"Children learn as they play. Most importantly, in play children learn how to learn."

O. Fred Donaldson
Contemporary American martial arts master

"Play energizes us and enlivens us. It eases our burdens. It renews our natural sense of optimism and opens us up to new possibilities."

Stuart Brown, MD
Contemporary American psychiatrist

Relationship Reflection

Explain why relationships/partnerships are important to you  Relationships are very important to me because it represents a bond between you and the other person.  Dictionary.com defines a relationship as

1.  a connection, association, or involvement.

2. connection between persons by blood or marriage.

3. an emotional or other connection between people.

As research has found,  most of our happiness comes from our relationships – around 70%. In my belief it is in our best interest, as well as the interest of others around us, to develop and maintain positive relationships. It is truly a win-win scenario.   The most positive relationship I have right now is my relationship with my significant other, whom supports me in everything that I do or try to do.  It's a wonderful feeling to know that someone has got your back no matter what.  We both maintain our positive relationship by providing assurance.   We understand that if we make a thoughtless comment, it makes us feel like we no longer love or appreciate each other. In a moment like this, a few words of reassurance and support can work a small miracle.  We also respect one another unconditionally. Even when upset, we are still be able to express ourr feelings with respect. Another important factor, we are always focused on solutions not problems because I have been around couples who have spent months, even years, on one or two unresolved issues. If you are in a positive relationship you should  identify the problem and then focus your energy on generating solutions to the problem and proving what you know with actions.  We continue to maintain positive expectations of each other.  No matter the situation, we still can honor unpleasant emotions and keep positive expectations for one another.  Just that simple.  Lastly it is important to be flexible. Your brain has to be open to explore possibilities for what works best to positively energize the best in one another, to make conscious choices on how to respond to maintain a love connection.  We are absolutely great for each other and hoping to be Mr. and Mrs. Shannon Smith soon. 

I really do not have any other stable positive relationships with any one else because I have always been the outsider of my family.  Some of the time, I get along with my mother, whenever I am not getting criticized for things that I did not do or when I give her things that she wants.  I experienced my parents getting a divorce at thirteen and I am not sure if she holds that against me or what. 

I have positive relationships with my co workers and we all get along great because we always work together as a team and not one on one.  We respect each other's opinions and do not invade personal space.  In order for me to be an impact as a early childhood professional, it is clear is that, not only do children develop through their relationships with parents and carers, but relationships continue to be of central importance to people’s ongoing development and well-being. Therefore, the relationships that parents have with others, including professionals, have a significant effect on their ability to function well as parents and the same goes for professionals.

References

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/relationship

Zagreb, C.  (2007). Second Conference of the International Society on Early Intervention.