My Connections to Play

Play used to be fun and enjoyable. One vivid thing I  remember was that we rarely played inside the house. We always played outside running around with friends, played with sand, did pretend cooking with grass and sand. Hide and seek was one of my delights. We went to the beach almost every weekend where I had the opportunity to taste the salty water and walked bare footed feeling the different sand texture. Play was a part of my everyday life, I was asked not to play only if I misbehaved or had some tests to do at school. I had very few toys compared to what any child in the 21st century would have.
Sincerely, I think we were allowed such an amount of play because our parents and older siblings saw us as disturbances at home, so for this reason the door was always opened for us to go play. I don't think our parents knew of any benefits of play. But thanks to instinct!

I was very shy as a kid but I remember I never used to be shy when I played with my friends, probably the 'plays' I had then made me overcome shyness. Through play, I was able to listen and learn of some African folk tales.  But today, children mostly play indoors with lots of toys and technological gadgets. Due to the security situation, children no more have the freedom to play in the neighbourhood. Staying indoors always will prevent children from having a feel of nature. The amount of play I had as a child help me relate well with people because I was able to socialize while I played.

I hope to be an advocate in this area and sincerely wish that the old era of play be restored.



The following quotes summarize my 'play life' as a kid:

''You can't stop the future,
You can't rewind the past,
The only way to learn the secret is to press play''. Jah Asher

''Combinatory play seems to be the essential feature in productive thought''.  Albert Einstein

''Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning''. Mr. Rogers

''The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct''. Carl Jung

''Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of children.'' Fred Rogers

''Do not keep children to their studies by compulsion but by play.'' Plato

 

 

As a kid, I enjoyed pretend play

Relationship Reflection

      Human beings generally are social beings and that explains why everyone is in a midst of several relationships ranging from families, friends, colleagues, acquaintance, etc. No wonder someone once said that the worst disease on earth is not HIV/AIDS but a feeling of loneliness and or rejection. Humans are meant to strive in the midst of relationships because no one just appeared from the sky--Everyone has got a link. Relationships are essential to our daily lives because needs are met when  relationships exist; it could be a distant or close relationship.
       Of course, the first relationship I experienced was that of my parents and siblings. We all stayed together as a nuclear family with cousins, aunts, uncles and other relatives coming to visit. I learnt from everyone in my family as I am the second to the last child. My mum paid attention to our school work and made sure we showed her our finished pens before she could issue another one. She made me recite the national anthem and the multiplication table and on the other hand my dad was more concerned with providing our needs like shelter, clothing, food, etc. It was like a shared responsibility. It was fun with my siblings because we played together and then still disagreed when the need arose. As a result of this, I was able to build a 'tough' skin that I was not scared of been bullied. Teasing was part of the game at home.
We still share such relationships now that we all grown but on a more mature tone.
           Presently, I am married to Benneth and we've got two loving kids-Gavrila and Azriel. I try my best to relate so closely with my immediate family knowing the benefits and rewards. As a potential early childhood professional, I inform my husband on how best to relate with our kids; as a wife and mother I have learnt to play these roles independently.
          Outside my family life, I relate with a couple of people around me. I've got some very close friends whom I chat with regularly. My nieces and nephews are so special to me. I make them feel free to tell me whatever is their problem. Once in a while I speak with my former lecturer and classmates. I seldom communicate with my pastor-friend from whom I have gained so much spiritually.  I am in the process of building a relationship with my children's caregivers; but a barrier here is the difference in language. I speak English and my son's caregiver is French. I am trying so hard to learn French so as to break this jinx. Above all, my relationship with my husband and two kids is paramount to me presently.
       Building relationships require an amount of effort. Like it is popularly said, ''if you want a friend then you be a friend too''. Initially there might be a barrier of ego, culture diversity, racism, lack of interest, etc. I am currently living in France and it's been quite a challenge mixing up with the French because of the language barrier and where there's no understanding there can't be a relationship.
For me, communication is the bedrock of relationships. I make an effort to use my smartphone to maintain these relationships. I call my mum almost on a daily basis. I gist with my children about anything they need to know, I gist and discuss with my husband.
            I think one relationship I foresee to becoming partnership is that between me and my children's caregivers, because I relate with them as colleagues doing the same job as me. Though not there yet.
            I have extended this act of building relationships to parents or family members of children I am working with. Knowing there are several benefits to building relationships, I hope to offer my best to children and families so as to achieve rewards that are beneficial to families and the society. These benefits may include a lesser rate of crime in the society, children showing more interest to further their education, children becoming loving and caring adults, etc.

My hubby and kids