The Need for Play

This week I listened to a podcast by Stuart Brown about his book called Play. In the book (and podcast) Mr. Brown discussed the need we have as human being to play. He writes that the work ethic is natural in more people, but the play ethic dwindles out of us unless we consciously practice it.

I could relate. I am not a natural player. I like games and having fun, but always feel guilty when I am doing those things. Seems to me that the work ethic overrides the play ethic for me.

I worried a lot about this when the kids were very small. I made efforts to go out of my way to do things with them that were not my normal comfort zone. Still, if you were looking at those things you'd probably wonder where the play was. There was a lot of ambush learning in those occasions that I created for them--the zoo, the aquarium, parks, museums.

Genius Golfer was much better in just playing with the kids. He'd wrestle with The Boy and tickle The Girl. He was always the one to encourage the dirt bike purchase, or the ski trips. I was the humbug to his excitement.

How do you curb your natural instinct to be cheap and educational? Even at family trips to Disneyland, I was always worrying about the money, the cost, the food we should have packed in to the park. I am the classic wet blanket in the family of fun.

When I mentioned this book to The Girl and told her that I really don't play well, she said, "Well, you like photography." The last time I picked up my camera for anything remotely resembling creative play was two months ago at the Festival of the Trees. That is pretty sad.

Even my scrapbook habit/hobby has become a "need to do" rather than a "want to do" activity.

When I have a good book to read, I feel like I can only sit and do that when EVERYTHING else is done and I have no other obligations. Some days I wish I could shut off the hyper-responsibility drive that I seem to have and just truly veg-out. I can do that guilt-free when I am ill, but luckily that doesn't happen very often.

Maybe I need some kind of play therapy. I was hoping for some play therapy with my family over Spring Break. But it might not happen. It is hard to plan too far in advance with Genius Golfer's schedule.

I'll keep trying. Recognizing I have a problem is the first step to recovery. At least that is what the experts say, right?