My Connections to Play

Quotes about the importance of  play
“Play keeps us vital and alive. It gives us an enthusiasm for life that is irreplaceable. Without it, life just doesn’t taste good” Lucia Capocchione

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” George Bernard Shaw

Both quotes retrieved from http://planningwithkids.com/2009/04/14/10-quotes-on-the-importance-of-play/

Things from my childhood

My sisters and me (I'm on the right)

                         
                                       

           
My Support
I grew up on a farm so the great outdoors was my playground.  My mother and father encouraged us to find things to do and didn't allow hours of mindless TV viewing.  In the evenings, our "play" was usually working in the garden with my mom or helping dad feed animals or pick up hay.  I enjoyed our school's playground and remember spending lots of time on the teeter-totter.  I also remember doing a lot of coloring in coloring books.
Play Today
I feel that free play is seldom experienced by young children today.  Most are involved in more than one activity during after school hours and when they aren't at a practice, they are at a game.  The use of technology has overtaken any down time children have.  My generation, and generations before me, made up their games and they were usually meant to be played outside.  The safety of the world, now, is different than it used to be.  Parents have more reason to accompany their children to a park or be outside when they are playing in the yard.  It would be nice to have a place where children could be free to explore and feel safe doing so.  I am a big proponent of getting out in nature, but some families' lives are too busy for this type of experience on a regular basis. 
The Role of Play
I have been guilty of not playing enough.  As a working mother of three with a husband that traveled often for work, I let play fall off the priority list.  I did begin bicycling a few years ago, did it every day for about three years, but then I lost interest.  As the quote above by George Bernard Shaw says, we need to keep playing to stay young.  I have tried to remember this and build times for "play" into my weeks recently.  It's not the same as the play of children, but the activities I choose to do are enjoyable to me and help me relax.  I had a friend teach me how to kayak and I believe it is something I could do on a regular basis.  It combines my love of the outside and nature with the quietness of water.  I believe everyone should find something that they enjoy and make it a priority.  Whether the activity is done with someone else or alone, the time is valuable.

Relationship Reflection

The relationships I value most are those with my children.  They have grown into caring, responsible adults and our relationships have grown into mature, reciprocal friendships.  My daughter, who lives closest to me, has become a friend.  My two sons are don't call all that often, but my oldest son explained to me that guys just don't call that often.  Still, when we do talk it is genuine and enjoyable.  As their mom, I still worry about them but have taken the viewpoint that their father and I tried to set good examples for them as they were growing up and established boundaries for them and I have to trust that they are taking those lessons with them through life. 

As far as friendships, I have few.  I have had many toxic friendships in my life, where I gave more to the relationship then got  in return in the way of support, and I have found that the few I do have are all I need.  It wasn't until I was about 45 that I realized bad friendships, and an unfulfilling marriage, were having a draining effect on me and I needed to do something about it.  I cut ties with those people and have had many times when I say a prayer of thanks for the strength to do so.  The personality characteristics that make me a caring, giving educator were the same characteristics I applied to my friendships, and marriage, but at the end of the day, I felt empty.  Living alone, having my mom, children, colleagues, and cat to interact with gives me a feeling of happiness and self-reliance I didn't feel with any of my previous friendships.  For me, less is more.

My cat Marianna

My children and mom

My grand-dog Pebbles