Pieces of Play Thursday: A Playful Memory

On the 6th August 2018, I wrote.....

This is our playgroup. The kids get a light morning tea, and it is healthy, and communal, and beautiful. Today I filled out the 6 monthly questionnaire to see how I'm doing as a parent and today I just felt like writing a big F for FAIL. Something in me broke when I was on maternity leave. It has not repaired, and one day I will write about. It has changed me and I'm not good with forgiveness. Something else that I don't write about is the "getting to sleep marathons" that I have been having with Kirra on a very regular basis. Her body clock is out of wack. Sleep begets sleep, and because she gets less than she should it becomes a compounded issue. A sleep realignment is needed. I am not coping on 4-5 hours sleep for the last 4 years. There was one Muma there today who gets my politics. She is awesome and so are the workers. And here, finally, is my point. This playgroup often gives me a chance to play, give back, and pay it forward to other Mumas. Today, it pulled me from that place where I'm not coping. I always leave it feeling better than I did when I arrived. I am grateful. I hope you have something that feeds your soul too.

PLAY and I do not have an easy relationship. I know as a Mumma that play is critical in childhood. It's critical in how childrens learn, and sets a foundation for the emotional health they will have going forward in their lives. My maternity leave year with two little ones was the hardest year of my life. Sound dramatic. We'll I didn't cope and while we all survived it, I still look back and am very self critical. Playgroups helped us in that year, so much so, that we continued to attend a playgroup when I returned to work. Michael and I would have a 9 day fortnight and whenever I could, it was how I chose to spend the morning with the girls. I know that there are a small number of other parents I spoke with who had the same trouble. 

My best memories of PLAY is at playgroups. Not all are great places, but some, like our Save the Children Playgroup, were pure magic. It stops time a little, just enough, so you sit and even if you don't have the energy to play, you can observe your kids having fun. I'm so grateful for that.