My Connection to Play!

                      Quotes that summarized what play represented for me in childhood

My childhood was full of fun and adventure, real and imagined!

I played and ran free! We would eat breakfast (my brothers and I) and we would be out the door and only come back when we
were hungry or it started to get dark.



Essential play items for me when I was younger was the outdoors and my brothers!

The outdoors
my older brother
my twin brother getting married and younger brother giving a toast!

My parents supported play when I was younger. I remember playing with my brothers outside. We would go on adventures and explore the neighborhood. We would leave after breakfast, return when we were hungry or it had started to get dark. We would play games and ride bikes. We really never sat still. My mom was a stay at home mom for most of my childhood. She would take us on hikes and picnics. We would do craft projects. When I think back on my childhood I remember laughter, happiness, adventures and fun. Play is so different now from when I was a child. For one we spent most of our time outdoors running around, a lot of time nature was our toys, like sticks and rocks. We live in such a technological world that when you ask a child if they want to play they want some kind of electronic toy like video games or tablets. My hope for children in regards to play is I hope parents make sure they get the opportunity to use their imaginations and play outside. And I do not think play has to end in childhood. Adults should play outside too! Take your children to the park, go on a hike or picnic. Teach and show your children the joys and fun they can have using their imaginations!

Relationship Reflection

Relationships are vital in life. It is important to have people in your life who will celebrate with you when life is good and help and support you when it isn't. I am lucky in life, in regards to positive relationships. I come from a very big and very close family.

This is a picture of my mom, sister, sister-in-law, and myself on the underground tour in Seattle. Every relationship takes work. We work on ours with "girl days". Just all the women in the family get together and go on adventures. Where we can talk and catch up with each other.

My parents, brothers, sister-in-laws, nieces, nephews and my kids. 

nieces, nephews and kids at the Woodland Park Zoo.

2nd mother and kids. My best friend passes away 9 years ago, this is her mom. Our relationship has evolved and changed throughout the years. We have stayed in touch, talked and visit as often as we can. Through heartache and sadness we stuck together to help each other through it. She is Grandma J to my kids. 

My husband and son at cub scout camp learning about being blacksmiths. My husband is my best friend. We have been married almost 17 years. We have had our ups and downs during this time but we have communicated and worked through the bad and have cherished the good. 

My kids and I  at our lakes annual fishing derby.

My kids, Georgia and Meilo. We having fun camping and hiking!



Developing and maintaining relationships is work. Relationships are give and take and this can sometimes be a challenge. The biggest challenge I believe in developing relationships is opening yourself up to a new person. You have to have a bit of trust in this new person that they will not take what you give them and end up hurting you in the end. This is true for any type of relationship/partnership. I have learned that you have to take the risk. Yes it may not work out in the end but you will never know unless you try. 

The special characteristics that I see that make these relationships into partnerships are good communicator, passionate and trustworthy, understanding, hard working, honesty and dedication. 

Relationships are vital as an early childhood professional. It is important to be able to develop and maintain positive relationships with families and children. You need to have the ability to be an active, reflective contributor in the relationships. It takes work to maintain a positive relationship, you must be willing to put the work in.