My Supports

We all need support to navigate the obstacles of life, as well to celebrate the successes and joys. My highest support is my faith. I believe in a higher power who is always at my side. I have also come to discover and believe that things happen for a reason, whether we know the reason or not.

My next biggest support system is my family. I have 5 siblings, 4 of whom I speak to pretty regularly. We get together for special celebrations and holidays. I look to my oldest sister as my biggest supporter. She is always ready to listen and share her advice and experience. We look upon one another for support for all the things that life throws our way. I am ready to help my siblings out whenever I can.

I have a couple of great friends who are a huge support to me. I treasure our friendships. I tend to have a couple strong friendships and many acquaintances. I plan time to spend with my friends on a regular basis. We know how each other feels most of the time and can be that shoulder to cry on when needed.

 I can't leave out my co-workers and colleagues as support icons in my life. My co-workers see me more than my family. I like to think that they know me pretty well, which can be hard to face sometimes. We regularly discuss things that are going on in our personal and professional lives. I love that they have a completely objective outlook to some of the personal topics we share. Because we all work in the same arena as early childhood, we have that strong connection and love for children.

As I ponder challenges in life that many people face everyday, I think that one of the biggest challenges might be epilepsy. Not only to face the symptoms and reality of this brain disorder everyday, but to know that people would look at me differently. When people go into seizures, onlookers are first afraid and then they typically talk about what happened and may say things that aren't nice. As an epileptic I would need extra support from all the groups I listed above. Along with the support, I would require understanding from others. People are quick to judge sometimes and the exclusion that may occur due to someone having epilepsy can be life-changing.

It is through relationships that we gain the support needed to be successful in life.

My Connections to Play

Play should be full of discovery and fun times. The learning is a bonus! - Becky Evemy

“You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.”  - Plato

"Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning." - Fred Rogers

Three items that remind me of my childhood are pots and pans, legos, and shape sorters.

 

         

 

When I was a child my mom let me play with pots and pans while she worked in the kitchen. She would talk to me about what I was doing while she worked and I played. I think of legos because we had a "Town" that we created with materials much like legos. There was an army green platform in which we created hospitals, houses, etc with cardboard pieces. Included with "The Town" were cardboard people. My brother and I would play with these materials for hours, making up our own stories and endings. I included the shape sorter because it is one of my most favorite learning items for toddlers. I enjoy watching young children play and manipulate the items to see how they can fit them in the holes. During this play, we can really see their minds at work.

Play of today is somewhat similar to how I played when I was a child because children still make up stories and role play real occurrences to figure out their feelings. It does seem that children of today do not actually play and experience with items as much as I did when I was a young child, technology and television have become the forefront of children's time these days. Also, play items have become so commercial these days; children do not play with real-life items such as pots and pans as I did. Many commercial items call for right and wrong actions and not so much of free-play and experimentation.

As adults, most of us forget how to play, or do not make time to play. Play for an adult is more of a leisure activity where the brain is free, not really making connections, as a young child does during play. As adults, our learning connections occur in a more formal manner, like attending college or training courses.