Playing Alone

As an only child, most of my experience with play was solitary. Sometimes my parents or grandparents would play with me, but otherwise my only playmates were my dolls and stuffed animals. This solitude greatly influenced my development and my relationships with my peers. I had to use my imagination more, but never in collaboration with someone else. This instilled in me a love of writing stories, but has made it difficult for me to work in groups. Playing by myself, I did not talk much and then only in a whisper; now, even when many thoughts are running through my mind, I often find myself loath to say anything out loud. When I do speak, it is sometimes too quiet to be heard. Because most of my real companions were adults, I am usually more comfortable in the presence of people older than myself, and find their conversation more interesting.

Another interesting aspect of my experience with play is that most of the toys I played with were dolls and stuffed animals. I was never particularly fond of Legos or any other toy that involved building something. I preferred toys that were representations of living beings. Perhaps this was because stories appealed more to me than hands-on experiences. Or, perhaps it was because dolls and stuffed animals best fulfilled my need for companionship.