My Connections to Play

“You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” ~Plato

 “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” ~George Bernard Shaw

 I define play as a way for children to share or express their interpretation of the world.  My parents supported the idea or concept of play.  My room was well furnished with toys and games.  I had a bike, skates, a pet bunny to play with (before my baby sister came along), sports equipment, etc. I played with the other kids on my street as well.  I engaged in all forms of play from solitary, to competitive, to imaginative. 

 

Childhood Play

The pictures I chose represent what I liked to play with the most as a child.  I love Lego's, still to this day!  I have bought them for my daughter and we take time to build beauty salons and cafes.  And no female child can get through childhood without playing hand games!  When I hear the children in my class say the same chants, I can't help but to go back in time and reminisce on when I jumped rope to the same tune.  I think every child in America has played house but my most favorite was playing school.  Line up all the dolls and teddies and reenact what happened during the day but give it a different ending (lol).

 

Then vs. Now

I'm not sure if children are enjoying play like we did 15 plus years ago.  Most toys are electronic now so children don't have to be as creative during imaginary play.  I think there is an increase in solitary or parallel play for the older children.  I have seen children sit side by side and not speak to each other because their attention was glued to the iPhone, iPad, or iPod.  Children are less active now.  They don't go outside and play with their neighbors in the back yard like we use to. 

As we get older, we play less because of maturity and we have more responsibilities.  So, engaging in play will not help us.  Adults still play, just not as much and just in a different manner.  I don't play with dolls or other children toys unless I'm playing with my daughter or interacting with my prekindergartens.  To keep things fun for me and my spouse, we enjoy places like Dave and Busters and Main Events; we have family game nights where we play board games or let the children laugh at us when we try to save the princess on the Wii game system.  

Relationship Reflection

Relationships are important to me because I personally rely on them to help me function in life.  The relationships I created as a child, with my parents, continue to carry on in my adult life.  That life long bond helps me be a better parent and helps me face and deal with difficult decisions that I have and will encounter in life.  The relationship I have with spiritual mentors, help me to learn, understand, and practice my faith and beliefs.  The relationship I have with my mate and children help me to strive to be a better person and educator.  They inspire me to achiever more.  The relationships I have with my colleagues, coworkers, and student parents, help me to be a better professional and advocate for children.  The relationships I have with my girlfriends help me unwind and let lose and express myself without concern of judgment.  

When I think of child development...

Testing for Intelligence

I am committed to the whole child concept.  When working with children, I focus on all aspects of their development.  I provide a learning environment that supports their physical, spiritual, emotional, cognitive, biosocial, and psychosocial needs.  The overall objectives are:

• fostering and guiding children to practice a healthy lifestyle 
• providing children with a physically and emotionally safe environment 
• providing resources and support children will need to help them to learn 
• providing children with an engaging and challenging learning environment that will prepare them for success later in life 

http://www.ascd.org/whole-child.aspx

In the UK, childrens' intelligence is assessed by using the Mensa IQ Test.  Mensa was founded in England in 1946 by Roland Berrill, a barrister, and Dr Lance Ware, a scientist and lawyer. They had the idea of forming a society for bright people, the only qualification for membership of which was a high IQ. The original aims were, as they are today, to create a society that is non-political and free from all racial or religious distinctions.  Their objects are:  

• to provide a stimulating intellectual and social environment for its members
• to identify and foster human intelligence for the benefit of humanity
• to encourage research into the nature, characteristics, and uses of intelligence

 Some of the characteristics and levels of intelligence they test children for are:   

• Reading early
• Unusual hobbies or interests or an in-depth knowledge of certain subjects
• Intolerance of other children
• An awareness of world events
• Set themselves impossibly high standards
• May be a high achiever
• Prefers to spend time with adults or in solitary pursuits
• Loves to talk
• Asks questions all the time
• Learns easily
• Developed sense of humour
• Musical
• Likes to be in control
• Makes up additional rules for games
• Extrovert/introvert
• Passing intellectual milestones early
• An unusual memory

Source:  http://www.mensa.org.uk/

Another IQ testing option in the UK is the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children or WISC.  It was developed by Dr. David Wechsler.  It is administered to children between ages 6 and 16.  The test is standardized and is not just for the gifted.  It also includes special groups of children with disabilities, mild or moderate mental retardation, learning disorders, ADHD, Austim, etc.  The WISC is used as an intelligence test and a as a clinical tool by most practiioners to diagnose learning disorders or behavior disorders.  

Source:  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wechsler_Intelligence_Scale_for_Children

FYI

Some suggestions  I have is to never get comfortable at whichever level you are on when working with meeting the needs of children.  There is always work to be done.  Always seek ways to improve, yourself as a professional and to help your child/student achieve more.  Remember to assess the whole child.  Don't just focus on academics.  It's possible that the child may master reading and writing but lack the emotional support or a well balanced diet.  Always assess, their mental health, safety, interest, physical activities, social interactions.  

Consequences of Stress on Child Development

When I was growing up, I witnessed one of my friends sister experience maltreatment.  She tried to stop a domestic dispute between her mother and her mother's boyfriend.  She was tragically killed in the process.  On another occasion, another friend of was missing too many unexcused days from school and was on the verge of having to repeat the same grade.  All of this was due to her mother having a mental break down.  In this situation, my mom intervened, allowing the girl to move in with us.  My mother got her the help she needed to get back on track at school so she was able to finish successfully.

Now, I understand what my mom was protecting us from.  As a child, you are not aware of any of the dangers around you, especially if you're growing up in a nurturing, supportive, and healthy environment.  Looking back, a lot more of my friends were being abused, neglected, maltreated but we just didn't know.  It's sad how they became accustomed to it.  They thought that was the way life is suppose to be but there is more to life than oppression, emotional abuse, or being malnourished.

Children worldwide are experiencing poverty.  In Australia, about 500k children are living in poverty.  Poverty affects the quality of life and any future opportunities that these children might have.  When children are raised in stressful environments they tend to do poorly in school.  For example, in a family of four, two adults and two children are living in inadequate conditions due to unemployment, it is extremely hard for children to focus on learning and their future plans when they are worried about their next meal or where they will sleep or if their parents will break up do to the down turn of the economy.  I think some children take it personal and blame themselves for what is going wrong or unraveling in their family.  In Australia, they are trying to minimize harm of poverty by providing better national job strategies, better employment entitlements to part time workers, improve the minimum wage to meet standard living expenses, and improve assistance to young people by guaranteeing at six months of paid work for those who have been unemployed for two or more years.   (Melland, 2011)

For more information about poverty in Australia and how it is affecting child development, please visit:   http://www.democrats.org.au/campaigns/poverty_in_australia/

Mental Health and Pregnancy

Any and all women can develop a mental disorder during pregnancy or within the first year giving birth.  Other environmental factors, such as poverty, stress, domestic violence, extreme conflict, geographic, natural disasters, SES, and down turn of the economy increase the risk of certain disorders for expectant mothers.  Some of the consequences of mental disorders during pregnancy can affect whether or not the expectant mother gets adequate sleep and nutrition.  Depending on her circumstance and the stability of her mental health, she may not take advantage of prenatal care and medical consultation.  Instead, she increase her chances of trying to make herself feel better by turning to drugs, tobacco products, and alcohol to comfort herself.  In high stress and depression cases, it’s even possible that the mother to be may inflict harm on herself or the unborn baby.  If mental health is left untreated, the results could end in suicide or abuse.  Another indication of abnormal mental health in mothers would be the absence of wanting to bond with the newborn.  When mothers are depressed they are not focused on nurturing the newborn or paying attention to the cues the newborn expresses when uncomfortable, unhappy, or hunger. 

Some Symptoms of Depression are:

·         Restlessness

·         Mood swings and uncontrollable emotions

·         Excessive crying

·         Too much or too little eating and sleeping

·         Memory problems and excessive indecisiveness

·         Lack of interest

·         Inability to find satisfaction

·         Feeling of worthlessness

·         Withdrawal and Isolation from friend and family

·         Constantly experiencing discomfort

·         Suicidal thoughts

I chose to the mental health topic because there are a lot of women, worldwide, they go untreated before, during, and after pregnancy.  Taking time to look at post partum depression and get a better understanding of what it is and how it’s treated is very interesting.  I always thought it was a culture thing; that only certain women from certain ethnic groups experienced the “baby blues.   Now, knowing that it can happen to any woman and there are other factors that must be taken into account when doctors diagnose which treatment method is best for women who suffer from depression.  I guess I never looked at pregnancy as being a stressful process that could trigger any mental health disorder.  As of now, and in the future, I will be more observant of the parents I work with, my family and friends, and others that I connect with regularly, to make sure they are abreast to maintaining a balance for their mental health.  Also, I would like you to pay close attention as well.  If women are experiencing any of the symptoms listed above, they should immediately contact a medical professional.  If you notice any of your friends, relatives, coworkers, or colleagues experiencing any of the following, you should help them get the medical assistance they need.  Remember, it’s their health and life at stake as well as the innocent and helpless infant.   

For more information please visit the World Health Organization website at http://www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/suicide/MaternalMH/en/index.html

Other Reference:  Stewart, D.E., Robertson, E., Dennis, C-L., Grace, S.L., & Wallington, T. (2003).  Postpartum depression: Literature review of risk factors and interventions.   

BRAZIL: Do deceptive medical birth procedures de-humanize women?

BRAZIL: Do deceptive medical birth procedures de-humanize women?