Olympic Gold Medal in Play

We have been completely snowed in (more on that later).  

For the past five days D. has been bed ridden with strep throat and a sinus cold. He was just able to leave to go to the doc. this morning.  

This has left ME with all of the household chores and two children indoors.  One child who wants to go out and one who wants to stay inside.  I've let loose of my short temper on more than one occasion, frequently praying to God to HELP me....to calm me...to let me deal. I've been stretching myself between two children with a pretty wide age gap, and it has left me completely exhausted.  

I am a mama full of flaws and emotions.  I make a ton of mistakes daily, 

but if there is one thing I do right, it is PLAY.  With this winter weather, we have had lots of time to play.

The thing that really saddens me more than anything about school today, is that children don't know how to play.  My classroom is near the playground.  I witness too many children sitting, talking, and begging to go INSIDE!?!  I witness too few children pretending to be the leader of a secret society, or a quarterback for the NFL, or a Mountain Climber finding Gold!  
I know some teachers skip recess for movie time in lieu of getting assessments complete.  I was guilty of doing that before I actually had children.

This is what is wrong with the world.  We want kids to be able to be more mature, more intelligent, and more advanced before they are ready.  They lose some innocence in the grind of life.  I have given into that pressure with Connor myself. 

I remember in kindergarten, all of C.'s classmates telling me what they had asked their parents for during Christmas:  tvs, phones, video games, and computers (at age 5/6).  Meanwhile, my son asked Santa for a toy boat.   

For a child to have imagination and play, a child needs 
a. happiness  b.  security  c.  opportunity 

NOT a. high tech devices  b. statistics  c. pressure/anxiety. 

My advice-  every once in a while let your child(ren) play in the mud without asking any educational questions.  You never know

...they may become engaged for a LONG time.

Or you could get REALLY crazy and make your own Winter Olympic Event....

Imagine the Possibilities.