Welcome to our guest blog post from Mimi Tovar, mother of five and parent partner in Boston! Mimi was one of fifteen parent partners who participated in Boston Children’s Museum’s Power of Play Training through the Boston Family Engagement Network on March 31. During the last year, our team at the Museum has trained over 300 adults in this interactive play training that helps teachers, afterschool staff, parents, family care providers, and others understand the importance of play for children. Participants leave with specific examples of how to support play in everyday life. On the night that Mimi participated in the Power of Play Workshop, she sent me this email:
“Today will forever change my perspective of the words “play or playing”!
As a mother of five children, I have always stressed the importance of education, not realizing that playing is a crucial part of their learning development. I also learned that playing can be and IS a stress reducing tool.
As an artist, it makes perfect sense, as a mom, well not so much, until today.
I cannot stress enough how much your workshop brought me the joy of imaginative play and creativity. As a child I always used art not only as a therapeutic tool, but also one that allowed me to see the world differently, with its rewards and challenges. Combining the skills of reading, writing and playing fused my imagination as a child.
But as life would have it, we grow up and lose sight of it all. We are rushed, pushed and shoved to get things done and as a result we subconsciously raise our children with that sense of the unending urgency to “nowhere”. Not giving children time to foster, nurture, and encourage their own joy of playing, and so we find ourselves putting them in front of the screen to be entertained out of desperation to find some peace and order in our lives.
I say this to my own heart and am convinced to turn this around, balancing time for work and the much needed time to play!
Thanks again for conducting this powerful message in such a playful way! I hope in the near future we can connect, collaborate and go on working together in partnership.”
– Mimi Tovar
Parent Partner
John F. Kennedy Family Service Center, Inc.
About Mimi:
Hello! My name is Mimi Tovar and I am a mom of five wonderful and VERY different little people, ranging from ages 2 to 15 year olds. Yeah, I know!!! They are a very energetic and interesting bunch, but nonetheless a very loving one!
I’m an avid writer by night and a per diem artist by, well, whenever I get the chance!
During my pre-baby boom years, I went to school at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. My undergraduate major was in Architecture and as life would have it, I had to put my dream on pause. Fast forward 8 years and 5 kids later, I am still motivated and determined to pursue that same goal.
Currently, I am an advocate for education, the Vice Chair of the Parent Council Committee at The John F. Kennedy Family Services, Inc., a Parent Partner for my community and the Parent Representative for the JFK Board of Directors.
Though, I may not have many accolades in life, one thing I did accomplished, is enjoying the enrichment and growth life brings.
The Power of Play 