My Connection to Play

"Children need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity."  by Kay Redfield Jamison

"Nothing you do for a child is ever wasted." by Garrison Keillor 

"If a child is given love, he becomes loving...... if he's helped when he needs help, he becomes helpful. And if he has been truly valued at home .......he grows up secure enough to look beyond himself to the welfare of others." by Dr. Joyce Brothers.

While I was growing up I was involved in a dance, children especially girls danced during occassions to make culture become real in ceremonies, and the innocent appearance of children in a dance is always inviting to everyone. Nigerian music has a strong rhythms by using countless drums and percussion instruments which make the atmosphere entertaining, inviting and fun to be around.

When I was growing up story telling was done under a moonlight tree and everybody gathered around and my mother then will tell us stories and make us repeat the story she told yesterday before she would tell us another tale. But this days everybody is busy and not available to tell a story. Our children need those folktales we were told while growing up.  

I also enjoyed knitting, I could make anyting I thought about and every week my mother would buy yarns for us (myself and my siblings) so that could make more of what we wanted and we sold them to make money for christmas or festival that would be coming up.

Play is generally accepted in preschool and is an act of learning. Play enable enables children to play freely in a learning environment. 

I grew up without play in school put I had different types of play at home. The learning environment and method of teaching in Nigeria was has high quality but focused mainly learning memorization. Play has always been in my life because I like reciting lyrics of old musics and compete with my friends and sisters finding anyone that will recite and not make any mistake. I still love listening to music till present. When I was little in a particular market day we came together with our local soup and play card games and I have passed it to my children to have one family night where everyone comes togher and play a board game.                      

Relationship Reflection

      Relationships are important to me because they make me have a sense of happiness, fulfillment or identity. When a child does not have connection or relationship with the parents it affects her health physically and mentally. My father was not physically present when I was growing up because he was studying abroad all throughout my teenage years and I got married the first year I came to the states. My father inspired me a lot to never limit myself and he was always coming for holiday visits, and did not disconnect that fatherly bond. My father passed away in February 2011, since his passing I have felt a void within but still have a family that depends on one another for support and sustenance.

      My husband is my main confidant because I share my opinions, experiences, and talk to him about everything going on in my life. I have a beautiful relationship with my sisters. They are my friends because we share intimate details of things happening in our lives. My friends at my former job call most of the time to keep in touch with me because of our busy schedules and challenging lifestyles. We most of the time text each other, email and talk on the phone. I always make out time over the weekend to visit my mom and sisters and they do the same as well. Having a healthy relationship keeps an individual happy and health because you have your support system working for you.

      My mother, sister, husband and children are the best friends that I have to assure that I am not alone in whatever I am doing. The cordial relationships that exist between my family members and friends are deeply rooted in the trust we have for each other. Our words happen to be our bond, circumstances notwithstanding
I have learnt over the years that communication is the key to a good relationship. The flow of communication has to take its normal and unhindered course for effective communication