"My Connections to Play"

“Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning.” – Mr. Rogers

“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 childhood.” -  Fred Rogers

 toys for young children need to match their stages of development and emerging abilities. 

    

 Blocks, Musical Instruments and Dolls are three essential toys.

The only memories I have of play in my younger years is that of being outside with friends, inside activities with my younger siblings. I think that these opportunities were provided and encouraged by my parents. We always were provided educational activities to museums when we lived in duty stations that provided these opportunities. I don't have anymore specific memories of play in my childhood because I don't really have a full memory of my early childhood at all but I do personally feel that it is important to provide several different types of opportunities for play to stimulate all the child's senses thus to develop all the child's areas of development.

I think that in the past we participated in a lot more outdoor play and activities and not specific directed play that was intended to help develop our educational development. I think that know there is so many advances in technology and research so that now we know how important it is to stimulate their development.

As an early childhood educator I know the importance of play in the children that are in my care and I try to convey that importance to the staff and families in my care. Parents still want to see the worksheets and physical proff that they can hold to prove that their child is learning but they learn through play.

References

www.naeyc.org/toys

RELATIONSHIP REFLECTION.

re·la·tion·ship

riˈlāSHənˌSHip/

noun

1. 1.

   the way in which two or more concepts, objects, or people are connected, or the state of being connected.
2. 
   
3. I think that Relationships are important to me and my life because all of the different ones have helped shaped my life and who I am. Some relationships happen just to teach you something.

This is a picture of my oldest daughter and her family, including three of my "gran girls". My daughter, Whitney and her husband Aki, who is a marine got stationed in New Jersey Two years ago and the distance has been hard because this is really the first time Whitney has not been here for all the events, holidays and all. It's hard to accept that she's all grown up with her own family. We stay in contact with calls and skype so that the gran girls continue to know who "Nana" is.

All of my "Gran Girls, Alaia, Anaya and Amara who are Whitney's children. And Felicity, AKA. Pootie and her brother my only Gran Boy.Dj, who are Nicole's children. I have raised Dj since he was born so that is a really different bond. He is with me day and night and at an age when I thought I would be long done raising a child, I still am.

This is Ms. Sherry and she is one of my Sister Directors, we are both Directors for the same company and this is a picture from our annual Directors conference that our company holds for our region and we were celebrating this night. It is great to have a relationship with Ms. Sherry because we can support each other in regards to work and personal matters and be there to vent if necessary.

This is a picture of my staff, the relationships between me and them is important to us all and the families that we serve. Because we have a good relationship it boils over into the relationships we are able to build with our families and played into our school becoming a FIVE STAR school.

This is my "Trigger". He is like my little baby and he gives that unconditional love and is always glad to see me, I would say he doesn't ever give me trouble or "Talk back", but he does.

Having a pet is said to be good for your health and I know once my DJ get a little older and starts leading his own "teenage" life Trigger will be here to keep me company.

 From Top to bottom: My step Dad Ron who is very important to my relationship and that with Dj who he helps to raise with me. He is very important to the development of Dj.

Next two are my friends Fran and Carolyn and the relationship with them are very important . We like to hang out, go out to eat, and shop together and we are each important to the other as we offer support to one another when needed.

This is a picture of me and my second ex husband. Even though he is my ex we do have a friendship that is important to both of us. We have been divorced for seven years now but still are part of each others lives.

My Youngest daughter, Nicole and mother to Dj and my youngest gran girl, Felicity. Everyone has that one child..well she is mine. Love her to death but it has been a strained relationship through the years, I am raising her oldest child and I have since birth. She lives here in town so we do interact and share family events together. She is very close to her Step father pictured above.

 Last but least, my mom and friend. I am the oldest of her three daughters and I live here right in town and she also is a great help with the raising of my grandson and her great grandson. Without her and Ron I couldn't do it and still have my life. With there help and support I was able to finish my BS degree. Couldn't function without them two.

The challenges of developing and maintaining relationships is difficult me, I am very introverted so I think that makes it difficult for me develop  and maintain relationships, I often think it's odd that I don't really have a "Best Friend".

The relationships I have listed are mostly family and coworkers or employees so these are relationships that you don't have to work hard to maintain.

I think that all of the relationships are partnerships because it is a give an take relationship, some times I may give more and sometimes the other side but we are all in it together.

I think my limited experience with other relationships including my ability to be an active, reflective contributor sometimes make me less effective in my relationships with parents, I have to work harder because I am not so outgoing and bubbly and don't do a lot of "small talking" 

This was put on my facebook page by a former co worker who knows me so well. It sums me up.