I love being here at work. It hardly seems like work. There are three beautiful girls behind me; two of whom are tumbling about in tents and on cushions, make-believing they are neighbors or "parent and child". The baby is lying playing with her toys and screaming with delight as she discovers ways she can interact with the world around her. I feel like I should play with them, but I have been told not to bother the older two, Katie said "We are playing, don't interrupt us." I have just interjected reality into their imaginary play by stating that soon it will be time for lunch, and even that was not received very well.
The baby fussed so now she is on my lap, kicking my hands as I type. I love watching the girls learn how to play together. I believe Katie is correct. I should not interrupt this. I firmly believe that children learn more through self discovery and self-directed play so as Katie (5) and Abbey (22 months) construct a “house” and discover the joys of young sisterhood I sit here holding Lizzy (4 months) ponder what happens when children are not allowed this opportunity. I think what happens is that they are stunted, at least in some senses. I am writung thus while at work so I won't have time to elaborate fully on what I mean.
The girls have been playing like this for almost 2 hours. I cannot imagine any daycare center situation in which this would occur. They paused for a snack, but an unstructured morning of play was just what the doctor ordered today. There have been only minor squabbles, most of which I’ve encouraged them to work out on their own. They have been honing social skills as well as learning the art of sisterhood. I have only had to use one disciplinary action all morning between the two of them. By now childcare workers in daycare centers across the country have transitioned hundreds of times and it’s not even 11:00 in the morning. Who knows how many time outs any one of them has had to give, granted they have a high ratio of children but my point is that there is too much structure in the typical daycare setting. Too much structure and too many transitions. I don’t think the typical “daycare kid” would be satisfied doing any one thing for close to two hours. I pause to inquire about screaming I hear from the other room and an examination of the situation reveals the sisters playing with their dolls on the baby’s play mat. It is time fir lunch and the baby is crying. I love these girls; I love my job.
Back in college, in 2004 when blogging was hardly even a thing yet, I was here. Blogging before blogging meant anything to anyone. You can look in the archives for my past writings, but it was much more like a journal in the past. When we started fundraising, I messed around with the idea of launching something new for this new phase of our journey but actually hated that idea. I am a sum of all of my life and so much of it is here already. So I'm keeping it here. At least for now.
My main focus these days is blogging about our newest journey into the bizarre and wonderful world of gestational surrogacy. Posts dated 2013 and forward will trend heavily toward that journey. I don't promise everything I write will be about though. There might be other things that sneak in occasionally.
Please come along our journey with us. As the saying goes, "The more, the merrier!"
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