The first relationship is my super important to me is the one I have with my grandmother. This lady will walk through fire for me. My grandmother has been such a great supporter in everything I do that is positive and constantly encourages me to never give up on my dreams. She is also the one who helped form my spiritual foundation by taking me to church and teaching me how to pray. I love her so much and will always be grateful to have her in my life. One thing that keeps my grandmothers' and relationship strong is the fact that we respect each other. 
Not everyone is completely on board when you start making changes in your life spiritually. This guy in this picture has been my friend since 2008. He's seen me through the good and bad times. We are just off the cusp of the biggest challenge in our friendship and I believe it made our friendship stronger. He supports my growth spiritually in a way a lot of my past friends don't and that means a lot to me. We help each other by praying for one another and keep each other motivated. We are both people with positive energies and we try to maintain that. I love him to the moon and back. Honest communication has been the one thing that has kept our friendship and the fact that we love each other no matter what.
My sisters!!!!! To left you have my middle sister, middle is the baby and the right is me! Just this past New Year we were able to hang out together with our mom for the very first time in years! I love these girls so much. They push me to be better role model for them. I want them to look up to me. My baby sister watches my every move so I have to make sure they're good ones. My middle sister marches to her own beat, always have. I admire her fearlessness! She says screw the world, I am me and nothing is going to change that! And she is basically a genius, seriously one of the smartest people I know! 
Mommy and me! My mom is not just my mom she is my best friend in a lot of ways! I share like everything with her! Our relationship has grown so much over the years. She allows me to really find my own way in life. Not necessarily pushing me and not necessarily pushing me. Honestly, I wish she had pushed me a lot harder in school. As an adult now, I have to push myself and be my own motivation and sometimes that is just how life is. One I thing that me and my share is our kind hearts. My mom is like the sweetest person on the planet. Oh, and she can really cook!! Developing and maintaining relationships have been tough for me over the years. I am finally at a point in my life where I realized each relationship/friendship played its part for that particular time in my life. I am not one who has had a friend since childhood, however, I have a few friends that are still hanging with me strong since college. Those friendships have been tried and tested and we are all still hanging in there. Communication is the key. While some friends I have, I talk to almost everyday, I have a few that I only speak with every now and then and that's life. I have a friend who is like a brother however, he has a wife and two children. I couldn't talk to him everyday if I wanted to, but I respect his family and love them very much. I know that our friendship is not falling apart, he is just seriously busy. We connect every few months or so.
What do you see as special characteristics of these relationships that make some, if any, partnerships?
Fun! No matter what, we laugh and enjoy life! Laughter is the best medicine and it makes any relationship strong and fun! We don't take things too seriously unless seriously needed.
How might your experiences with relationships/partnerships, including your ability to be an active, reflective contributor, impact your work as an effective early childhood professional?
As an early childhood professional I make it a point to allow my students and parents feel comfortable. I am somewhat silly and really enjoy what I do and that reflects my relationships with my students and parents. At any given time you can me my students and I laughing and enjoying class and you will see myself and parents laughing as well. My great sense of humor has been a building block for me in the early childhood profession.
Quintina,
ReplyDeleteYour relationship with your grandmother sounds exactly like mine! If it were not for my grandma taking me to church, I would have had no exposure to God! I know that my grandma has prayed for me at least 3 times every single day of my life! I often wonder what will happen if she leaves this world!
Like you, I have had some difficulty maintaining relationships throughout my life. I like what you said about friendships playing a role during a particular period of your life. I do have some friends that I have had since childhood and my best friend and I celebrated our 25th friendship anniversary last year. We do not talk daily but we know that if the other one needs something, no matter what time of day or night, we will be there for each other! I also love your outlook that you are going to have fun no matter what! I need to take that to heart! I am all business most of the time and I know I need to lighten up!!