Thomas Murphy

And that cat was the only thing that regulated his emotions.

So circle is probably the most important work that we do.

But on top of that, I'm a play junkie.

It's hard to go from a story like that to talking about play.

But play is where all mammals learn to transition successfully from childhood into adulthood.

All of your skills you got in self-directed, self-controlled play, which we have annihilated in children.

And play is the essence of learning.

It's where, you know, you don't need anything but play to learn.

And if you look at the science of it, all mammals have automatic play cycles that happen.

Rats start at four weeks.

They end at 14 weeks.

Start and stop.

And if you disrupt that play cycle, they don't know how to mate properly.

They become very dangerous.

You have to have play.

So we invented years ago, this thing called a bully drill.

It's sociodramatic play.

It's the greatest form of play where you could take me back to when you were in middle school, almost like a flash bulb.

And you could be like, oh my God, I remember this kid at this water fountain.

He was gonna take a drink and somebody shoved him, right?