My supports

In my daily life I am lucky to be surrounded by supports. I live in a suburb of a large city so access to all amenities is easy. The supermarket is across the street. The metro station to get the train to work is a 5 minute drive or a 20 minute walk. I have a family doctor, a chiropractor and a massage therapist within walking distance of my home. My home is safe and well designed. All these physical supports ensure that I can live my life free from fear and secure in the knowledge that anything I need is available to me. I also have supports in the form of a stable job for myself and my husband. We do not need to worry about paying the mortgage or getting groceries. There are also emotional supports in my life. My husband is my rock and I'm very lucky to have found him. I am secure in his love for me and in my love for him. I know he supports me with whatever I want to do. As a case in point, this master's program is difficult for him to understand. Book learning and school were never that important to him. Even so, he supports me in whatever way I need in order for me to complete my course work. My family, although they are far away, are another form of emotional support. Just knowing they are there gives me strength. My work colleagues, many of whom are also my friends, provide professional support. They understand what is happening because they are right there with me.

The challenge that I chose is an invisible one. Depression is more prevalent than many people realize. The Canadian Mental Health Association describes depression as someone who "is grappling with feelings of severe despair over an extended period of time." (2013). Symptoms include a loss of interest in activities and withdrawal from social situations. A lack of energy and either insomnia or excessive sleeping can also be signs of depression. Changes in appetite, feelings of sadness, anxiety and guilt, complaining of not feeling well with no identifiable cause and, in extreme cases, thoughts of suicide are all symptoms of depression. The supports needed for this condition are a diagnosis from a doctor so that it is recognized and addressed. As a person with depression I would need a qualified person to whom I could talk without fear. I would also need emotional support and acceptance from my family and friends. I would need understanding and accommodation from my employer. Without these supports, I would most likely deteriorate and be unable to lead a normal life. In a worse case scenario, I might try to kill myself because I see no other way out.

References

Canadian Mental Health Association. (2013). Facts about depression and bipolar disorder. Retrieved from http://www.cmha.ca/mental_health/facts-about-depression-and-bipolar-disorder/#.UbxuTMsaySM

My Connections to Play

In our play we reveal what kind of people we are.

Ovid
Roman poet
43 BC–17 or 18 AD

Play is our brain's favorite way of learning.

Diane Ackerman
Contemporary American author

The true object of all human life is play.

G. K. Chesterton
British author
1874–1936

Wooden blocks

Ice skates

 

Bicycle

I don't have a lot of real memories of my early childhood before age 8. One memory that does stick out is learning to ride my bike. My dad ran behind me for hours, up and down the sidewalk in front of our house, holding the back of the seat to keep me balanced. I was the only one he had to run for. By the time my sisters and brother were learning to ride, I was their teacher. We often played outside in the summer. We were lucky to live opposite a green space so could run around without fear. My younger sister arrived when I was 4 and a half so I was often told to go and play. I'd build elaborate structures using blocks and books, create traffic jams with my cars and dress my Barbie for a night out. My mom would play with us and so would my dad on the weekends. We were encouraged to explore.

Play today is less free for children. Many parents, especially in big cities, feel that for their children to be safe they need to be in a supervised activity. These activities are also seen as a way to speed a child's development. While we used to roam the neighbourhood until dark, this is not often the case now. While some caution is justified, I think it has stifled childhood in some ways. Playdates are useful but not everyone can make them. Parents who work are less likely to want to have extra children in their home. While many schools in the US and Canada are reducing play time during the day, the Netherlands still values play especially for very young children. There is not as much fear about letting the children play outside. There is still a growing number of children whose main source of play is tv and video games but I do often see children playing at the park, unsupervised.

Play is an important form of tension release in adults and children. It's important to have some element of play in every life. That can mean different things to different people. For my husband, it means walking somewhere with his camera. For me, it includes playing computer games and being silly with the children in my class. Playing with your kids when you are a parent is a good way of maintaining a close relationship. It allows your kids to see that you values play and that, even though you are responsible for them, you can have fun with them too.