My Supports

The factors within my daily environment that are supportive to me would have to be my husband. He is the greatest and most dependable person there is. His support is undeniably phenomenal; he helps with the household chores; if I am ill, he stays by my side until I am well and have regained my strength and am physically able to continue my daily responsibilities. , and he laughs at all my silly jokes. The benefits of having my husband as my support is that he is always aware of what is needed in the household, there is someone to always discuss issues that confront us daily. My world would literally fall apart without my husband present, after 18 years of growing to trust and know someone other than family members, the only person who shares everything it would be devastatingly drastic to wake up one day without him by my side.

Being a single mother would be the challenge I chose to imagine, and the thoughts I would have with regard to supports would want and need, would be strong male figures in my children’s lives; individuals whom I would look at as strong pillars of the community, and my children could emulate.  I find that my church would be that support; I can find members who could assist with emotional support, as well as spiritual. I can find other mothers with children who I can share concerns when confronted with difficult situations.

 

My husband is my best friend, and the greatest support this side of heaven, he is the most valuable person in my life. Without him life would extremely difficult, he is the one I turn to when I am afraid, or have uncertainties, when life storms and tempest rage. Life is difficult as it is when one is alone without a person who one can rely on, humans need other humans in order to survive, and for me that is my husband.   The members of the church can be more than just members,after time become not just  a strong community but also where one can  find the support one needs, such as emotional, and spiritual. Since the members are of all ages, there are women who can take the roles of mothers, grandmothers, aunts and sisters. The men likewise, and even great still they can stand in the gap is there is no father figure in the house.

Life without these supports would be difficult if not impossible, I know for a fact that this would be the case without my husband. After many years of having him by my side, I would be at a total loss without him. The members of my church are also valuable to me. The fellowship and time spent together is precious and priceless. They depend on me, just as much as I have come to depend on them. Many time we come to depend on the people in our lives, and  many times taking them for granted until that time when they are gone. Which is why I try to acknowledge and praise him and others in my life every chance I get. Life without those who we love, and who love us,  would be extremely difficult and hard. Thanks.

 

Best Regards,

Magda DeVictoria

My Connection to Play....

Two Quotes

“Play is our brain's favorite way of learning.”

Diane Ackerman
Contemporary American author

“Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning.”

Fred Rogers
American television personality
1928–2003

 

  

 

    Describe how people supported play when you were younger and/or the role of play in your childhood.

My mother was the greatest supporter of play in my life; she did this by playing board and card games with us. We would play for hours, especially on cold raining or snowy weekend nights in New York. She taught me how to play rummy five hundred, and even to this day, I usually don’t win.

 

    

       Write a brief entry on how you feel play today is similar or different from the play in which you engaged as a child and what your hope for young is now with regard to play.

     

What I view as play during my childhood, if not today. Board games which encouraged family time were the games of choice, today, children play video games which do not require another partner, and the video is the child’s competitor. Card games are only played in the casino, not at the kitchen table while the mother prepared dinner. Children are rarely seen outside, playing hop-scotch, or jumping rope as I remember playing as a child. I remember chasing and being chased, playing tag, and there was always a brief minute or two for patty cakes, or London bridges in the school yard during recess.

 

 

                                                                                       

                  

       Include your thoughts regarding the role of play throughout your life and/or the role of play throughout childhood and adulthood.

As I reminisce on my childhood days of play, I but hope that it was the same today. I rarely see children playing after school, riding bikes. No longer do I hear the happy shrills of little girls. Are all the games today so structured therefore leaving no time for laughter?