My Connection to Play

Two Quotes that summarize what play represented for me in childhood:

“When we treat children's play as seriously as it deserves, we are helping them feel the joy that's to be found in the creative spirit. It's the things we play with and the people who help us play that make a great difference in our lives.”

Fred Rogers

 “Children need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity.”

Kay Redfield Jamison professor of psychiatry

 Essential play items for my younger self

Sheer Joy! dressing up in Grandma's clothes and pretending to be adults.

Thanks Granddaddy for the swing you created on the pecan tree

 

I feel play is different in the fact that media technology and gadgets are a huge part of children lives today and hampers children opportunity to play. Children are not as active today as they were when I was young. I participated in a lot of outdoor play in tag, hide and seek, digging in dirt, making mud pies, swinging on the tire or simply running around the front yard. It is my hope that children always have real opportunities to fully engage and learn through what comes natural and that is play. I remember looking forward every day to playing with the cousins that came to Grandma and Granddaddy’s house. 

 The role of play throughout my childhood taught me the value of sharing and taking turns. It also helped me build self-confidence through exploring and figuring out things.  As an adult, I appreciate simple things and take nothing for granted and carry lessons learned from the people I played with who help made me the person that I am.

 

Relationships Reflection

Relationships are important in maintaining good mental and physical health. They have to be cherished and nurtured so they continue to grow and flourish.  Through all the hustle and bustle of life, it can be challenging accomplishing that task. Within relationships there has to be acceptance, respect, and a whole lot of forgiveness and letting things go.

My husband, my high school sweetheart:

We met during our junior year in high school 41 years ago in home room. As we got to know each other, we had a lot in common. We dated throughout our senior year and married two years later. He remains my friend, my strong arm, and supporter. We have 2 daughters and 3 grandchildren.

My daughters:

My daughters and I are very close. We talk or text on the phone every day.  They moved two hours away a couple of years ago and it was difficult adjustment for me not seeing them on a weekly basis.  All holidays and special church events we get together.

Grandchildren:

They are the real joy of my life. I watched them come into the world, and I can’t really explain the special love that my heart holds for these three special people. They are truly a blessing.

Regina:

I met Regina when she began attending our church many years ago. We connected immediately, I think partly because we were both pregnant at the same time and both of our babies were born in December. She has been a constant friend always there when I need her and vice versa.

These relationships/partnerships has helped me in my professional life in being committed to the cause of making a difference in the life of children and families. I strive every day to walk in honesty and acceptance.

 

Quotations about Children

In my opinion, children benefit from having their intelligence assessed because testing assist in determining where children are cognitively in their reaction time, remembering, processing information and problem solving. All of these functions play a part in children capacity to learn. I also believe cultural experiences and socio-economic factors are major influences to be considered in intelligence testing.

China

In China, there are six years of elementary school, three years of middle school, and three years of high school. Chinese students attend classes five or six days a week. On Saturdays required classes are held in science and math. There is an exam at the end of middle school to decide who attends high school. Thirty percent of middle school students go on to high school.

Elementary school report cards are 30 pages long. They include measurements of weight, height, eyesight, hearing, lung capacity and information on where children fit in  the national average. Teachers give grades, but parents and other students are encouraged to add their assessments, usually pointing out some fault or weakness.

Sources:http://chineseculture.about.com/od/thechineselanguage/a/Introduction-To-Education-In-China.htm http://factsanddetails.com/china.php?itemid=1094#9901

Major Stressor

In September of 1999, the eastern part of North Carolina was devastated by flood waters from Hurricane Floyd. I was spared in the area that I live, but many families lost everything including my sister and her 3 children. Her home was under water and everything was destroyed. The sadness for my sister, nephews and niece being uprooted from their home was extremely stressful to our family. The feeling of loss and helplessness was indescribable. Everyone was affected; for days we had no electrical power, which made it difficult to use phone or hear news coverage.  There were a lot of emotional support from the family and communal support such as food, and clothing donations from local church groups, Salvation Army, DSS, and Red Cross.  After a week the National Guard permitted resident to return home and when we walked into the house, my sister became physically ill to see nothing that could be salvaged. She cried for days and became depressed about her children not having a home or their belongings. A lot of effort went into making sure that the children followed their routines as much as possible.  She eventually came to live with us for a year and she eventually got on her feet and is doing well.

The region I chose is Vietnam because 3 years ago a 4 year old Vietnamese little girl was in our classroom. She lives here with her parents and paternal grandmother. The grandmother shared many stories of her difficulty as a child without adequate food and basic necessities and how she came to America illegally to obtain a better life.  She often voiced concern for the children in Vietnam. She admitted the situation is slowly getting better for some children that she sees when she returned home every 7 years.

http://www.wishh.org/workshops/washington/february06/vietnam-06.pdf

http://www.unicef.org/vietnam/children.html

 

 

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) or “crib death” is a frightening heartbreaking loss to families and is the leading the cause of death among infants 1 month to 1 year old. SIDS has touched my life in a personal way. Twenty-nine years ago, my friend Barbara’s son Brandon died at 2 months old of (SIDS).  Sleeping on his stomach was said to be the main reason for his death.  After feeding him at 2 am, he went back to sleep and she placed him in the crib on his stomach as she had always done with him and her 2 other children.  She woke up at 6 am and checked on him as she did every morning and found her baby cold. Shock and sadness is an understatement of what her family and friends experienced. I’m glad that research has discovered techniques and provided information to the public about how to reduce the risk of SIDS.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sudden-infant-death-syndrome/DS00145/DSECTION=causes

Global SIDS Statistics

http://www.sidscenter.org/Statistics.html

 

Birth Experience

Witnessing the birth of my 3 grandchildren allowed a very different experience. Their birthing room was arranged in a cozy homelike setting. There was a sofa and rocking chair in the room and nice paintings on the wall. Everything happened in the same room.  After the births, the babies stayed with their mothers in the room. It was an overwhelming to see my daughters and babies having the opportunity to bond and form those needed attachment immediately.

 Each time was a reminder of my birthing experiences during the 70’s of being moved to a cold labor and delivery room to give birth.  I held them shortly and they were shipped off to a nursery and care for by the nurse until feedings.  After experiencing my grandchildren’s births, I felt robbed of precious bonding time with my babies.  Over time studies conducted showed the importance of forming early nurturing relationships and child birthing procedures changed.

I believe mothers who spend time with newborns after birth assist in fostering healthy development.  It is sad that children who are born prematurely for whatever reasons are deprived of early nurturing intimate relationships with their mothers.