My Supports
My biggest supports are my twin baby boys. They can't help me bring in the groceries. Yet. They can't help me fold laundry. Yet. They can't help me clean their room, make their beds, or even do the dishes. Yet. But they truly are the force that drives me everyday. They not only get me out of bed everyday, but they are what keeps me on track to finish my master's degree. I know that one day it will be all worth it and I will be able to provide them with the life that they deserve. Of course, if they did not exist, I would go on. However, they are what completes me as a women. They have made me the best thing in the world: a mother.
Another big support is my boyfriend. He pushes me everyday to finish my master's degree to show our boys that having a higher education is essential in this day and age. He supports me by picking up the slack in regards to my boys when mommy has to do homework or even take a nap because she is sooooo tired. He is my friend and helps me see the bigger picture of life. I think that if he didn't exist, I would be heartbroken. He is a great father and tries everyday to show them how to be little men. Without him, I know that my boys would suffer and so would I.
A practical support is my obsession with making lists. I have one for the grocery store. I have one for my life goals. I have one for my daily activities. I even have one for my monthly budget. I use lists to "dumb" things out of my head. If I do not write things down, not only do I forget things, I can also become obsessed with details. Inevitably the mental lists of things to do, things to buy, or things to pay keeps me up at night. Obviously if I did not have the ability to make lists, I would be more and more confused. I think I would go around trying to remember what it was that I forget!
My Chosen Challenge
This task is hard. I could imagine being deaf. Blind. Not have legs. Not have arms.With any of these, the needed supports in my life would be great. Somehow though I know that I would hate to have to rely on others for help. I'm stubborn. (lol) However, I know that I would need someone to teach me sign language if I was deaf or someone to drive me around if I was blind. Yet, I would want to set an example for my children and show them that anything is possible, even with challenges. I think the benefit of any support is that it makes a person feel "normal" when they live with challenges. I have seen many documentaries on disabled people where they suggest that they wish to just be seen as normal and not known for their disabilities. I feel that I would want the same respect.
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Saturday, February 2, 2013
My Connections To Play
Quote 1: "In every real man a child is hidden that wants to play." - Friedrich Nietzsche
Quote 2: "A child who does not play is not a child, but the man who doesn't play has lost forever the
child who lived in him and who he will miss terribly."- Pablo Neruda
During my childhood, my parents encouraged me to play with all sorts of toys. I grew up with a brother, so he had lots of "boy" toys and I had lots of "girl" toys. However, we traded off toys and played together all the time. Toys were never separated into boys/girls toys in our household. Although I have to admit, I never really did get into playing green army men outside in the dirt. Either way, my brother was a big support in my quest for play. He was always way more imaginative than I in terms of finding ways to play.
I have to admit that I do not remember how play was in a classroom setting during my childhood. In my experiences of working at day cares or preschool programs, I have found that play is more encouraged and allowed. However, I have seen the difference between good quality and poor quality early childhood programs. I have noticed that good quality programs have designated areas for all different types of play. Yet, as children begin to enter kindergarten, it is my experience that the time for play is lessened and replaced with academics for state assessments. I hope that in the future this type of practice will change.
Growing up, I was not discouraged from playing. However, I think that my shyness kept me from doing imaginative play with other people in my class. Furthermore, I played by myself at home a lot and when my friends came over I was always a little selfish with my toys. Now as a parent, I try to encourage my boys to play openly and without reservation. I try to teach them to share their toys with each other and to use their imagination when playing. In all, I try to play with my boys often. I hope to encourage them to not be shy and to partake in activities with their peers.
Quote 2: "A child who does not play is not a child, but the man who doesn't play has lost forever the
child who lived in him and who he will miss terribly."- Pablo Neruda
During my childhood, my parents encouraged me to play with all sorts of toys. I grew up with a brother, so he had lots of "boy" toys and I had lots of "girl" toys. However, we traded off toys and played together all the time. Toys were never separated into boys/girls toys in our household. Although I have to admit, I never really did get into playing green army men outside in the dirt. Either way, my brother was a big support in my quest for play. He was always way more imaginative than I in terms of finding ways to play.
I have to admit that I do not remember how play was in a classroom setting during my childhood. In my experiences of working at day cares or preschool programs, I have found that play is more encouraged and allowed. However, I have seen the difference between good quality and poor quality early childhood programs. I have noticed that good quality programs have designated areas for all different types of play. Yet, as children begin to enter kindergarten, it is my experience that the time for play is lessened and replaced with academics for state assessments. I hope that in the future this type of practice will change.
Growing up, I was not discouraged from playing. However, I think that my shyness kept me from doing imaginative play with other people in my class. Furthermore, I played by myself at home a lot and when my friends came over I was always a little selfish with my toys. Now as a parent, I try to encourage my boys to play openly and without reservation. I try to teach them to share their toys with each other and to use their imagination when playing. In all, I try to play with my boys often. I hope to encourage them to not be shy and to partake in activities with their peers.
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