Childhood Connections to Play

"Play is the highest form of research" Albert Einstein.



Now, you probably do not see much in this picture but for me, it represents my childhood. Albert Einstein once said that "play is the highest form of research" and this was particularly apparent during my childhood. One day at my house, a chicken got six chicks but the smallest was very weak. Its mom used to bite on the face and seeing the small cuts around its eye made me feel awful. Looking back at it now, i think that all the chicken wanted to do was encourage its chick to walk faster. But at the time, i decided to take the chick with me into the house to protect it and maybe even heal it. Even at six years of age, i felt perfectly capable to be the chick's doctor.

"Children need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity" (Kay Redfield Jamison).
These pictures represent my childhood: friends, freedom, games. I am sure that this period of my life contributed a lot to make me what i am.

My childhood left me with a sweet taste in the mouth as i always had a lot of freedom. We did not have a television, all we needed to do was shower, eat and play outside. The houses in my neighborhood had passages in their fences where we could pass and find ourselves in our neighbors' houses without going on the road. That allowed us to play in numbers and have a lot of fun. Today this has become impossible given parents' fear of strangers. I experienced friendship, respect for others, and many other values which are still present in me.

Significant relationships

Before the birth of my children, i never imagined how children were of great value in my eyes, except once, when i was taking care of my little niece who died from a heart problem. As my children were growing up, i learned how important it was to have a good relationship with people caring for them. I almost wanted them to tell me all the details of the day. This quest for the welfare of children, mine and those of others, made me realize my passion for little ones. I have a friend who shares this passion. We share our views on different topics regarding the early childhood education in our country and even if she is not aware of that, our relationship is very significant because through our conversations we share a lot of insights which, i am sure, will determine how i am going to use my current studies effectively.