The importance of Supporting Children’s Freedom and Play
“Can you remember who you were, before the world told you who you should be?” Charles Bukowski
If you take some time to think about this question as I have, you might find yourself slipping into a childhood memory. Perhaps a memory of you joyfully playing with legos, building worlds of your own. You might remember that you were once boundlessly curious and full of wonder for the world that surrounds you. I know that’s where this question will likely lead you because just like me, you were once a child, and all children are born joyous, curious, and full of wonder. I remember myself as an incredibly feisty kid, bursting with life. Every time I thought adults weren’t taking me seriously, I would put my tiny fists on my hips and demand to be heard. I wonder what happened to that kid… I was 20 years old the first time I remember thinking of my childhood self and feeling a sense of profound loss. It was on a random day I had spent binge-watching, binge eating, and enveloped in self-loathing. It made me wonder what had become of the activist kid and teenager I once was. …
According to the Global Wellness Institute, the self-care industry was a $4.2 trillion business in 2017 and has been growing at the average annual growth rate of 6.4%, nearly twice the growth rate of the global economy. It is clear that as a society, we have never invested as much of our time and money in our personal well-being. It seems that we invest in ourselves first and foremost, anchored by the belief that our personal happiness and fulfillment are the primary responsibilities we have on our individual journey; the only thing that is in our control amid a world that seems increasingly chaotic. So we read about habits, life hacks, and ways to improve our body, our productivity, our skills and everything in between. …
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