Relationship Reflection

Relationships and partnerships are important to me as they provide a deep connection with others that I feel is built on several key life values. These values include: trust, respect, love, loyalty and stability. These values can also be considered as special characteristics that maintain one's relationships with others. The aforementioned values or special characteristics are important to me as they each play an intricate role in each individual relationship that I have. I value each relationship and feel that each relationship is responsible for me being the person that I am today and the better person that I am becoming. Such relationships include: my parents, my brothers, my nephews and my close friends.

My parents and I have a great relationship as I can easily talk to them at any time and about anything. They have helped me grow into the strong, loving, intelligent and respectful woman that I am today. I visit and talk to my parents daily. The relationships with my twin brothers is unique as they were my first introduction into caring for children. Although, they are only three years my junior I continue to be the overprotective big sister. My relationship with my nephews is special. I do not have any children biologically and these two hold a special place in my heart. They actually inspired me to further education and obtain a Master's. They bring so much joy and life into my life while bringing out the big kid in me. My close friends and I all have a special relationship as I do not have any biological sisters but they are considered my sisters. These friendships have been established from two to twenty-two years; we have gone through everything together and continue to. I consider my friends my fictive kin.

I have found that developing and maintaining relationships can be difficult as interaction with others including dealing with different personalities, strengths and weaknesses of others. Having shared interest usually bonds people together as well. In my personal relationships, I feel that communication or lack thereof and change are challenges in developing and maintaining relationships. Communication is key in life and in any relationship, yet; relationships are continuously being severed due to miscommunication. I have observed that when some people commit to change of any form in their lives, others are not accepting of that change and relationships are also severed.

My experiences in my relationships and partnerships with others impact my work as an effective early childhood professional by allowing me to utilize the values that I was taught as a child and incorporate them into a well-trained, knowledgeable and professional environment that I will be afforded the opportunities to assist others.