My Supports

"Support" to me means being a cushion, comfort or foundation to me when needed.  When someone supports you they have your best interest at heart and want to help.  My family supports me often by helping me with my children.  I work 10 hour days and travel often so I depend on their support to help me care for my children when needed.  The benefit of their support is that I trust them with my children and my children are in a familiar environment that makes them feel comfortable.  If I didn't have such a reliable support system I know that I couldn't work the hours I work, attend school and provide for them financially.  My goal is to find a job that would allow me to work around my children's school schedule.  This would mean working while my children are at school, picking them up from school, not working nights or weekends and no work related travel....and did I mention off in the summer!  This schedule would have me less dependent on my family and allow more valuable time to spend with my children.

My Connection to Play

                                    Quotes That Represented Play For Me As A Child

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

Children need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity.    Kay R. Jamison

                                                     My Thoughts About Play

As a child growing up in Chicago my sister, brother and I loved to play.  As a matter of fact play was such an important part of our day that our parents didn’t have to tell us to go outside.  We pretend play with our dolls and kitchen set.  Made a band with our musical instruments, cooked with our easy bake oven, jumped rope and played hop scotch.   My parents supported play because at that time that’s all we had was “old fashion play”.  This was play that was unplanned and fun every day because we didn’t have social media and all the electronics children have today.   Play today is different because children are really not engaging on a personal level.  Play today is playing a video game online or playing a board game on the internet.  Play when I was growing up allowed me to interact with my siblings and friends in a way that children today probably would never experience.  We were allowed to play outside without all the violence and negative exposure children are exposed today.  We played with other children in our communities without fear because we basically knew everyone.   I value and appreciate the play time I experience as a child and I now find myself trying to provide those same fun experience with my children and all children I come in contact with.

 

                                           Essential Play Items For Me Growing Up