Play is necessary for children.

Nowadays, in pursuit of paper qualifications, parents often ignore the importance of play. Crowded environments with fewer open spaces for play exacerbate the situation as more concrete structures sprung up to replace available play space for children. Houses, unlike those of yesteryears, have hardly any room for play in small crowded homes.

Still, a child’s imagination and playfulness refuse to be suppressed by such unfavourable conditions and it starts to grow and develop from the day the child is able move around.

Actually, given the freedom to do so, the whole world is the child’s playground. This world is only limited by the adults who prevents the child from venturing to particular places, opening doors, objects and things to explore and try out everything within his/her reach.

One day, I went to some friends’ house to their child with one of the grandma’s slippers on one foot and the mother’s handphone in the other, trudging around, smiling at the worried faces of the parents.

The parents were worried about the cumbersome shoe causing the child to fall and, perhaps, wreak the expensive handphone in the process. As for the child, he was probably grandma waiting for the handphone to ring, wondering why his parents would look at grandma with such faces, finding their behavior so laughable.

There were times I have seen that child wander into one of the rooms to open drawers and cupboards to see what they contain. He would reach in and grab any object available, sat down and examine the objects. However, more often than not, the objects were snatched away out of his fingers, fearful that they could end up spoiled or broken.

I am not saying that parents ought not to prevent unnecessary problems but parents should take the opportunity to tell the child what it is and how it could be used perhaps. If the object is easily breakable, the parent could join in to hold the object as the child examines it. Then, tell the child that it has to be kept carefully in the drawer as it could be broken easily.

So, to a child, most objects in a house are playthings, things amuse himself or herself with, things to hold, to feel their texture and weight and to know.
When it comes to play outside the home with friends in the neighbourhood, it is the opportunity to know and understand the various types of people, to socialise properly, to share things and to cooperate with others. In the process, the child gets to realise the joy and happiness of living; the joy and happiness which is the essence of life.

It is in fact this very essence of life that makes living worthwhile. Without it, no matter the amount of money or property one has amassed, life is mere drudgery, leading some to early death.

Therefore, play is important as it leads to understanding and realising the essence of life. Play leads the child to exploration and exploration leads to interests which gives us the motivation to success in life; all of which brings us great satisfaction and happiness in life.

Finally, I wish to end this with an archaic saying: “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Truth is found in those words.

Imagination leads to creativity.

Someone did say: A picture is worth a thousand words. And there is so much truth in that.

Have you ever ask for directions and found the description of the route so difficult and confusing? Who is not good at words? Is it him? Or is it you? Who could not picture the route clearly? Again, is it him or is it you?

How can a person who cannot picture a route clearly in his mind, describe it well to you? It could be the other way around. Without a good imagination, how can anyone imagine the junctions or roundabouts with their turning into another street. How does anyone picture the landmarks that are described along the route?

Well, nothing good or great can be done without some imagination. A town-planner needs imagination. So does every man or woman, some more, some less.

Even a simple job of painting the floor needs imagination, otherwise, just as in the cartoon I saw sometime ago, a painter started work at the door and painted himself into a corner, trapped by his own wet paint.

Only when a person sees through his/her imagination, can he picture what he hopes to achieve. Only when he/she sees a solution to a problem can he solve it. How can anyone see a solution without some imagination? How can anyone draw a good design without visualising it in his mind? Without imagination, how can there be creation? How can there be success for your child without first imagining how it can be done?

As you can see, imagination and creativity are very necessary factors in the success of any individual, be it at school or in a job.

And creativity certainly needs imagination. To create something we need an idea. You need to picture the thing you wish to create. With that picture, you can imagine how it could be used. What practical purposes does it have. Only when you are able to picture that which is in your mind, can you think of the materials and tools you need to construct what is pictured.

So it is important that we stimulate imagination in our children as well as in ourselves.

The question that arises is: How do we do that?
So my next posting will be stimulating imagination and creativity.

Creativity or nastiness?

As the head of the English Language department in a secondary school, Sekolah Menengah Kota Kual Muda, one of my duties was to encourage the use of the language.

One of the ways of accomplishing that was to label whatever could be found in the school. With that in mind, I pasted ‘Girls’ toilet’ on the door of one of the toilets.

A week later, an angry lady teacher came to see me.
“Do you know what your students have done?” she asked.
I shook my head for I was not able to understand her annoyance. “What happened?” I enquired.

She was fuming so badly that instead of answering, she dragged me by the hand to the girls’ toilet.

There, on the door was my label with the apostrophe and the letter ‘i’ whitewashed with liquid paper fluid. It was changed to ‘Girls to let’.

I wanted to smile at the creativity of the students. Yet, it would be insensitive of me to do that in front of this furious teacher. So, I restrained myself and told her our students are quite a cheeky bunch. Putting on a serious demeanour, I told her I would certainly look into the matter.

You see, as I have said before about accepting differing views, this situation calls for that kind of acceptance. For some people, they are of the opinion that such deeds indicate a lack of respect for the women. It could be consider that if the miscreants were adults. When I questioned the students, names were not given but according to those students I believe in, it was a fun thing. Some students were merely being creative with words. If you look at it positively, they were learning English. They were just playing with words. Those students meant no harm. I just accepted the explanation. To the teacher concerned, I assured her the cheeky students were apologetic.

Children can be mischievous. At such times they could merely be showing their skill at something. If that is so, should not the teacher accept their deed as praise-worthy. What do you think?