I got a text this morning from a dear friend of mine who is coming to visit me tomorrow. He got news at the last minute that he would need to bring three children who are currently in his care (no school tomorrow). Argh! I read the text and thought,
"Ah. I must respond playfully".
My response:
"That's ok. Maybe they can do the dishes."
hahahaha!
The day was getting off to a good start...
And then came work - the never ending administrative tasks...meetings, paperwork and phone calls. Notes, side conversations and a few minutes to inhale a delicious lunch I prepared.
At last the children started to arrive and I had jazz playing as they entered the playspace. I kept waiting for that moment when playfulness would become the order of the day. I waited and waited, but it didn't come. Yes, I was engaged with them in all sorts of play, from building castles to playing "Tens". But there did not seem to be a moment when I transitioned from playing to playfulness.
And then I introduced our activity. I drew some pictures on the board. Mind you, I am a horrible artist. I drew a flame that looked like mismatched gloves on a kitten, a teddy bear that looked like the Bride of Chucky and a few other images that were absolutely abysmal. I used it as a lesson to not take yourself too seriously.
The activity was related to anger - identifying angry triggers and signs and symptoms of anger. I used images to help my patients categorize their own expression of anger. Before asking them to draw the one that most closely resembles them when angry, I performed each one. And oh, oh, oh did it ever feel good to perform. And the performance was playful. I then asked them to perform their signs and symptoms of anger and then their expression of anger which they did willingly and playfully.
Whew!
Mission Accomplished!
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