My Supports

In my daily environment I would have to place my supports in categories, which would be family, friends, and God. My family has been my main support financially when possible, and just by understanding the importance of studying early childhood though I may not be in the field at the moment. There is also the subtle pressure of doing well, because family usually wants the best for you they ensure that I am doing my best in everything that I am doing especially when it relates to studying and pursuing your dreams. As I speak about my family it includes my extended family also which is not usually the case for many persons. My friends are another of my main support systems, without my friends I'd probably sleep all night and do no work, but my friends make sure my assignments are finished even if it means not messaging them for a period of time, not hanging out etc. They are a pure gift sent from God to be understanding and caring about my education. Most of all, where would I be without God's grace, many times we fail may not tell our friends or family, but God knows and He still loves and shows interest in our lives. He has proven time and time again no matter for frustrated or unmotivated I get He is always there, even if He sends someone to cheer me up and encourage me to see the finish line and just enjoy the journey of studying. Without my supports, I can surely say I would not be doing a masters, I would have probably given up by now, but they show me the potential I may not see, and encourage me to keep pressing on.

The challenge I imagined, was being deaf. My supports would more than likely be interested in communicating with me, so I can see them going out of their way to learn sign language, and also help to learn to communicate with them. The emotional support would also be evident because having a sudden change in a way of life and have emotional wounds on anyone, becoming frustrated trying to understand and know what is going on around. My supports would definitely try their best to comfort me, and make me smile, bringing joy to my heart would come easy by my family and friends. Certainly God will never leave me nor forsake me.  

My Connections to Play

As a child play was a natural part of my daily routine, whether it be outside or just inside the house, but play was allowed and not put down, because it was seen as vital part of growing up, or maybe just a part of growing up. At a very young age, my parents may have come and play with me, then as I got a little older around age 6 or 7, I played by myself pretend play, I have a brother so he would not necessarily want to play what i was playing, though when we did go outside we would play together. As usual there were rules, how far to go outside, what time to come inside etc, but playing was very much encouraged as I grew up. As a child growing it was a custom to receive gifts of toys, or books all which are used for the intellectual growth as a child. 

Play today compared to play when I was young, is different and sometimes non-existent, play today can be so very structured, trying to get the child to learn something specific from a specific object. When I was a child if a toy was not available children would use whatever was in the house or outside the house. There was a social aspect of play, you had to go out of your way to make a friend and be able to play, whether it be sharing a toy, colouring, or playing a hand game it was not always a purposely set up by adults but it usually came naturally by the child. Children usually set out to discover and explore on their own, the problem comes when adults try to control their exploring and then have to make up for it in setting up the correct atmosphere for them to explore, which may not always give the same results.

Play, plays a very important in the development and growth of the child, play builds the foundation for the maturity of the adult the child will grow up to be. It encourages social, mental, physical development that is important as a child and as an adult.