[Fuzzybear]

How do you play? What is play?

Especially for those who have an “inner cub” and who have experienced trauma in childhood (and/or neglect)

Are you doing anything fun today?

[fern46]

I love to play. I enjoy playing with my cubs. They are an endless stream of random and fun activities. We run, we jump, we dance, we role play. We play games and video games. We color. We create art. We explore outdoors together. Sometimes we just giggle and sing silly songs. My husband is great at character and pretend play.

I like to play with my husband as well. We play cards and billiards a good bit. We also play video games from time to time.

Play is a huge part of our lives and where a lot of the joy is generated.

Today my dad is coming over to visit. We always play when Grandpa is around. Its nice outside so maybe some soccer or football. We also like to play cards or board games as a family.

Enjoy your day Fuzzy!

I don't actually play with anyone; I play by myself. I do video games, read, or fix/build electronics. I also practice guitar since I'm now taking lessons. That's how I "play." (It's not traditional play, I know.)

I used to enjoy doing sports or other physical activities with people, but... I stopped bothering with "friends" after repeatedly getting f_cked over and rejected. That's why I fly solo these days. My socialization/activity thus consists of: (1.) therapist, (2.) guitar instructor, and (3.) online people.

Unless I am depressed, I am pretty good at play, and especially at entertaining myself. I do all kinds of things, some crazy. It's varied a little bit over the course of my lifetime, but I suppose what's remained the same is daydreaming, humor, dance, music, and nature. Later on I added cooking/baking, writing (which is still just my mind stuff), and various other things. The daydreaming and humor is the most important for me. I take after my paternal grandmother in finding humor in and laughing a lot, including at myself. Actually, mostly about myself. I also like to have fun with hubby and friends doing many of the above. Hubby especially likes word games and humor.

I never really felt neglected. My siblings and I were not exactly latchkey kids, but we didn't rely on our parents for much more than very basic care, love, and protection. We always ate dinner together and watched some TV together. They also took us for activities like going to the boat, beach, camping/other vacations, pool, but didn't directly play with us (like games). We played with friends or did our own things. My mom taught us stuff before Kindergarten. We talked with each other. Compared to most children, we were very independent and still are. My parents were affectionate, but maybe slightly the opposite of helicopter parents. I didn't really play with my siblings because they are 5 1/2 and 6 1/2 years older than me.

I did have minor trauma in my childhood, but my family was not the cause. I did bounce back in most respects.

[Wild Coyote]

I, too, tend to entertain myself. I grew up with 5 siblings and we were a town of our own. I do try to get out and do things with friends. Tonight, I am going to play table games with friends at someone else's home. Should be lots of fun!

Sometimes, I have a hard time enjoying activities when I was hoping to have a great time!
I think there are a variety of reasons for this. It may be that I was "triggered" somehow while out hoping to have fun! It may be that I am depressed and a bit anhedonic.
There could be so many reasons.

I hope everyone will have some fun today and every day!
Great thread, Fuzzy!

[yellow_fleurs]

I recently took up painting for fun with a friend. I can be a bit of a perfectionist, but try to let that go and just enjoy the process. Since it's just for fun it feels a bit like play. I also enjoy playing board games with friends. I like getting outside and doing outdoor things like kayaking, or mountain biking. I don't do this much, but I've played video games with friends. Oh, on Christmas a family member brought these stuffed "snowballs" and we had a mock snowball fight with the family. That really was so much fun, we had three generations laughing with that game.

[SorryShaped]

I play videogames, tinker with electronics, write odd and generally useless software, and exercise. Though, I can't workout at the moment because of the surgery. I'm wanting to build a synth/fx box but haven't laid out the diagrams yet.

when I feel I need to play, I'll open youtube and watch nursery rymes (or other kids videos)

plus I have lots of cartoon channels

[Moose72]

I suppose I'm the only adult here that sees sex as play? So I said it! Sex is my way of playing. Its fun! Singing in a choir is also satisfying- that's when my voice works, otherwise its just hard work.

[Rohag]

Interesting thread!

The circumstances of childhood did limit my play horizons, so I also favor "single-player" amusements.
And I also do not easily derive "fun" from activities.

[BadNews4321]

When I have the time, I'll try and learn a new skill in whatever I'm interested in.

Last year, I spent months going back and forth from the library, reading up on office suite software to learn about document formatting and designing spreadsheets. This probably does not sound like "fun", but I love it. The ability to figure things out on my own terms and not have the burden of being the perfect kid 24 hours a day makes thinking independently fun.

This might sound a little out there, but I "play" with a plushie bear. And his name is Fuzzy Bear! He knows all my secrets (good listener! ) I kind of think of him as a very low maintenance pet. In my "conversations" with him, he always says nice things, good self-esteem, encouraging kind of stuff. You know, the kind of things that are sometimes hard to say to yourself when you don't have the greatest self-esteem -- like from growing up. Somehow it is easier to funnel them through another entity. The hugs are great too.

(He's in my photos here. I've had him for almost 30 years.)

There ya have it -- old(ish) lady still hangs out with her teddy bear.

[Fuzzybear]

Originally Posted by Innerzone

This might sound a little out there, but I "play" with a plushie bear. And his name is Fuzzy Bear! He knows all my secrets (good listener! ) I kind of think of him as a very low maintenance pet. In my "conversations" with him, he always says nice things, good self-esteem, encouraging kind of stuff. You know, the kind of things that are sometimes hard to say to yourself when you don't have the greatest self-esteem -- like from growing up. Somehow it is easier to funnel them through another entity. The hugs are great too.

(He's in my photos here. I've had him for almost 30 years.)

There ya have it -- old(ish) lady still hangs out with her teddy bear.

I think that's cool. I just saw his photo, very cute

I also have a couple of plushies, they are good listeners

[Wild Coyote]

Originally Posted by Innerzone

This might sound a little out there, but I "play" with a plushie bear. And his name is Fuzzy Bear! He knows all my secrets (good listener! ) I kind of think of him as a very low maintenance pet. In my "conversations" with him, he always says nice things, good self-esteem, encouraging kind of stuff. You know, the kind of things that are sometimes hard to say to yourself when you don't have the greatest self-esteem -- like from growing up. Somehow it is easier to funnel them through another entity. The hugs are great too.

(He's in my photos here. I've had him for almost 30 years.)

There ya have it -- old(ish) lady still hangs out with her teddy bear.

I just LOVE it!

I have a large brown fuzzy blanket that I just have to have with me. Nobody else can touch it! I use it to stay warm and I cuddle with it when it is not over me. I have always called it: "My Bear!"

I know of at least two women in their 80's who sleep with a little teddy bear. One woman has the teddy from when she was a little girl. That is one old bear!