Childhood Connection to Play

Adults are obsolete children.  ~Dr. Seuss

In my soul, I am still that small child who did not care about anything else but the beautiful colors of a rainbow.  ~Papiha Ghosh

Children have neither past nor future; they enjoy the present, which very few of us do.  ~Jean de la Bruyere

Being able to run and play. We lived on a mountain in the woods and we had big imaginations with what little we had.

Camping was a big thing for us growing up, especially since we didn’t have to leave the mountain to do it. Again, using our imaginations to pretend we were somewhere else.

This picture is so similar to the tree house we built with my dad. We had so much fun playing in there.

Being able to run and play in the open without our parents having to worry, it was a great childhood. We would get up early in the summer and play until dark, even after dark when we were camping. I had a hard time when my children were growing up we lived in the town, even though a small town, there were still worries of someone or something happening to them. I did play outside with them but not until they were older did I let them venture out on their own. We would go to my parents and they were allowed to run free. It’s sad that times have changed so much that we have to worry about someone taking our children.

Play is such a vital part of being a child and growing up. We develop cognitive, physical, social and emotional skills through play. Children need to be children.

Relationship Reflection

"Human relationships, and the effects of relationships, are the building blocks of healthy development" (Shonkoff & Phillips, 200 p. 4).

My number one relationship is with my husband, Brian. We meet when we were only 15 years old and have been together ever since. We have been married for almost 22 years and he is my soul-mate, we understand each other more than any two people I have ever met. It took me a while to decided to pursue my education but when I did he was very supportive. He has cooked, cleaned and taken care of the children while I attended college. Our children are grown now but he is still there for me helping me achieve my dreams and goals.


Next would be my relationships with my sons, Jeff is 21 married with a baby on the way in December, our first grandchild. Marcus is 18 and full of life. They have always been my rock, my motivation, to show them that if you set your mind to it, it can be done. I hope that I have instilled these qualities in my children. I hope that I can use the tools that I developed with my children to become the professional that I was meant to be.


Getting the parents’ perspective on many topics and learning from them will build a partnership based on mutual respect and trust. The give and take of positive conversation is a plus. Each interaction moves us toward our goal. We can learn a lot from the parents in our programs. To recognize that they have much to teach us is the first step in building the partnership.  And, when we have their trust, they will share with us.


The partnership between the parent and the teacher cannot be underestimated. When it is built on mutual trust and respect, everything else falls into place.