Play....what does the word mean to me? I struggle with this a bit since I have a hard time relaxing and like many mom's, an ever growing to do list. However if there is one thing that can pull me back to reality, it is a sweet little pony tailed two year old tugging at my finger, reciting "pway mommy, pway". Now I am suggesting that this mean's "play" in her world, perhaps she just wants to pray, hmmm thinking not? In any event, I find it a struggle at times to just "be". At some points in our home there is a seven year old on a Nintendo DS, Daddy on the IPAD, Baby playing Old McDonald on the Iphone and Mommy on her laptop. What happened to a good ol' game of go fish or crib? My two year old daughter taps on my laptop like it is an Itouch and becomes frustrated when the photos don't glide across the screen with ease. Who knew that a lap top would seem dated. At Cailin's dance studio, kids wait in the waiting room, while their siblings are in class, all playing on their own Ipads, while mom and dad get caught up on various things on their phones or other gadety things during this "downtime". Although I love all these conveniences I sometimes wish they would all go away, for a bit anyhow. Perhaps this is just my own lack of discipline, I suppose I could just make them go away, if I tried. So I talk about "Play" a lot - and the importance of play. I believe it is my own desire to just sit and play. To make believe to forget about the pinging in my pocket, to truly be with my kids, to enjoy what they are saying, to relish in those precious moments that I know will all go far to quickly for me. That back to basics play that engages, that defines, that problem solves, that is creative, that is magical. When you watch children truly play, you see that the world and vision has no limits. So although I know that structure is not only necessary it is imperative for children to feel safe, learning and social growth all come from giving children the space and freedom to just "be" and just play in whatever form that means to them. Simply put, nothing can bring me more joy then to witness this, so for now, I will just pray for some time to just "pway"....:)
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