children

is it possible that i haven't written a blog about kids yet? really? i'm not sure how i've been able to discuss anything about play without discussing children. they are the inventors and upholders of play. it's in their fabric, their essence. their development depends on it.

i've spent most of my life working (playing) with children in many different shapes and forms. i've babysat, taught, siblinged, nannyed, tutored and friended hundreds of children over the years . i've never mothered any, and perhaps i won't, but my cup is full. the lessons learned about creativity and acceptance and innocence and maturity and grief and unconditional love will be part of me forever.

i will never forget when Katie (age 3) looked up from her coloring and asked, "anissa, would you like to art with me?" leave it to a child to understand that art is a verb.

i will never forget when i asked caroline (age 2) "how did you get so big?" and she answered, "i not SO big - i can't reach da candy" (which her mother kept on the top shelf).

i will never forget when i was teaching animal names and sounds to a group of Russian 4-year-olds and one boy wanted to stick to the dog sound he knew in russian-"gaff-gaff". i said, "Kolya, in english, dogs say 'arf-arf'" to which he replied with a bit of exasperation, "anissa, dogs don't speak english".

i will never forget the many experiences of joy that i've witnessed on people who received a smile from a child. a smile - it's so simple.

i will never forget when i turned on the music for the class and Nastia (age 3) shouted the song above everyone, because she loved the song so much and wanted to hear her own voice.

i will never forget Caleb (age 9) blatantly questioning god and eternity after his mother died.

i will never forget all of the children who never cared if i had a zit or messy hair or bad breath or dry skin, but looked at me adoringly anyway. they respond to love, not to the external.

i will never forget amanda (age 2) pointing at a woman at the pool and saying (very loudly), "she's fat!". for kindness' sake, we learn to temper, but oh, the beautiful honesty.

i will never forget that every child has a world to play in, born of the imagination and fueled by zeal for life and the now. i've begun to recapture this, with children as my role models and mentors. i am so grateful for the life i've been given.

(selah)

play

you can probably deduce from the name of my blog that "play" is my main passion. play, as a subject matter, was brought to my attention again recently when a friend of mine shared an article she wrote about it. you can read it here (it's SO worth the read): http://www.changestartsathome.com/social/live-to-play-play-to-live/
i think the child in me has always sought out being with children, so that i can continue to learn and experience play as a participant and observer. i'm so thankful for the little girl that i spend 8 hours a day with. i would call it my work, but it's really my play that i happen to get paid for. seeing the world through her eyes, and realizing that it's beckoning us to play with every dimension, is priceless. i should be paying her parents for the teaching and the joy that i receive every day.
just today we had a playdoh incident. i learned a valuable lesson. playing with the playdoh was an outlet for her to find fulfillment, concentration, joy and creativity. it also made space for her to be frustrated and angry when the shapes didn't conform to her liking. the light and the shadow sides all came forward. so, apparently play is not only fun, but useful and self-revealing. as adults, we can use it as a flashlight to notice things. and children, well children will play for the sake of play and nothing can stop them. it's their authentic nature.
observe a child playing and see what you notice or learn from it (but remember that adults must be accompanied by a child on the playground - i don't want to feel responsible when you get arrested). :o)
pick a play and do it! here are some ideas: play Twister, skip against the flow of pedestrian traffic, build a blanket fort, think of a part of you that you don't like and rock it to sleep, do a cartwheel in an inappropriate place, make genitalia out of clay (this will really make you laugh), have a lemonade stand in front of your house, paint your feet and make footprint art, write a limerick about something or nothing, walk backwards uphill, write notes to yourself and attach them to your shirt with clothespins, make up a dance routine to your favorite tune from Grease (i did this when i was 5). that should get you started...

in shape

i love the phrase "in shape". someone asked me how i stay in such good shape and i thought about that for a day. we're all in some sort of shape. am i a triangle, octagon, rhombus? when asked this question, i take it as an incredible compliment. i assume that because they want to know how i have this shape, they must like my shape. always nice to know. but alas, i think the question referred specifically to my work-out routine. i absolutely abhor working-out. i prefer to play-out. in fact, if i'm doing something athletic that i consider play, i'm so passionate about it, that i sometimes make a dance studio in my house (but that's another blog for another time). so, give me dance (my numero uno), martial arts, gymnastics, yoga, hikes and i'll not only do them til i drop, i'll probably also get in touch with my essence somewhere in the mix. now that's some fun! oh, and what do i consider a work-out? jogging (what is that anyway? - slow running?) and anything with balls. don't need those - too dangerous. kudos to you if you find your play-out with those things, though. to each his own passions. play with them!

passions

i have a lot of passions. sometimes to the point that they're swirling around in a small tornado. i decided i wanted a space for myself and all who want to join me, to play around with them. sometimes we take our passions so seriously (and this is good), but i'm finding that playing around with them makes them more real (and this is also good). so grab one up and let's slide and dance and hoola-hoop with it. i suppose this is a blog, so it's supposed to be my thoughts and ideas expressed, but i'd really like your input, responses, requests and amens!