My Supports

As we develop physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually throughout life we learn to depend upon certain allies as we enter different phases in our lives. The following allies listed below have been instrumental in my day to day life as an adult.

1) My Family- throughout my life, I could and always rely on my family for emotional and mental support. Whether it’s an encouraging word after a hard/long day of work or just because, my family has always been and will always be in my corner daily. Without the love and support of my family I probably would have given up on obtaining my Bachelor's after I exceeded the 5 year mark. Thankfully my family encouraged me and supported me to stick with it and reminded me that I was too close to give up. That next semester, I earned my B.A. in Sociology!!!!

2) My Faith- From a young girl, I was taught that a strong faith in God will allow you to overcome any obstacle. On a daily basis, I trust in the Lord to see me through my day to day actions. I know without a shadow of a doubt that without my faith, I would have thrown in the towel years ago. However, whenever times get tough and I'm faced with a tough decision or time in life, I reflect on these words "I can do ALL things through Christ, who strengthens me"!

3) My Finances- of course as a young adult my finances assist me in my day to day life. If I did not have money, I would be unable to pay my rent, other house hold expenses, car note, or even put gas in my car.

4) My Co-Workers- Monday -Friday 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 pm I rely on my co workers to assist me in any endeavor concerning my job. There are only 5 of us in office and my 3 superiors have been with the organization for 5 or more years. They offer me support and advice concerning areas of the Early Childhood field that I may not be familiar or experienced in. If I did not have their support, I would basically be walking blindly into some situations. I’m truly thankful for their wisdom and guidance.

5) My Cell Phone- Yes, as crazy as it sounds, I would loose my mind without my cell phone. I don’t know anyone’s number by heart except for my mom and twin, so without my phone I would loose touch with a lot of valued people in my life. My phone also serves as my alarm clock, my watch, and my calendar. Without it I would oversleep, be late, and miss important appointments.

As I prepare to enter motherhood, I know that I will need these support systems more than ever. I’m worried that other than God, my mom, and twin that everyone else will not be “there” as they all proclaim. As of right now everyone is so ready for Ashlee to make her appearance, but I often wonder how many am I really going to be able to rely on. As far as my co workers, I hope that they will assist me and not pile too much work on me knowing that I am entering my 7 month and I will soon be on maternity leave. I’m so afraid that I will have so much work to complete when I return, and there will be no one to actually help me catch up. I know that these are factors that I should not worry about, but I can’t help but to wonder “what if”.

My Connections to Play

“Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning…They have to play with what they know to be true in order to find out more, and then they can use what they learn in new forms of play.” ~ Fred Rogers (Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood)

“Play is not only our creative drive; it’s a fundamental mode of learning.” ~ David Elkind (psychologist, author)

Items that were essential to play:

 

As a child there were a number of people who supported/encouraged play throughout my childhood. Inside my home life, my mom and great grandmother encouraged play. They would limit screen time and encourage physical play through outdoor time and recreational sports. My mom would also buy my twin and me educational games. Outside of home, my teachers encouraged play especially during my pre kindergarten and kindergarten years. I can remember participating in music and movement activities, dramatic play, art activities, gross motor activities and many other forms of play.  I remember how excited I was when I learned how to jump rope or ride my bicycle. It was a feeling of success and great accomplishment.

In today's society play has changed drastically from 20 years ago when I was a small child. I have observed that most children would rather watch TV, play video games, or search the internet versus engaging in some sort of play. It’s truly sad that this generation has moved away from physical and social play. My three year old nephew would rather sit and watch wrestling than play outdoors. My five year old brother is obsessed with his hand held  PS3.  When I was a child, I would cry to stay outdoors or play with my friends. I loved to socialize with others and learn new things from them, vice versa.

Because play was such a vital and entertaining part of my childhood, I often encourage young children to partake in the wonderful world and play and all that it has to offer. As an adult, I often reflect on my days as a young child and sometimes wish that I could relive those days. It’s a wonderful feeling when you are able to take part in something that you love or you’re passionate about and that is truly how I felt about play as a young child!