Wednesday 9 May 2012

Children should be free to express themselves with a video camera. Discuss.

How soon is too soon to trust your kids with the video camera?  This week, I answered that question and if you're interested, nine years old is too soon.

On Saturday, we had to attend the annual open day for my eldest son's high school.   I had volunteered to work the coffee stall and my time slot was 2pm - 3pm.  As luck would have it, Max was performing in the school band on the other side of campus at exactly the same time.

I'm not usually a stage mum, but I'd already seen the school band perform their set that morning and I have to say, they were a pretty tight unit.  I wanted to get some footage to show to the family.  If only to prove that school bands don't have to sound like a bunch of chimps with saxophones and an overamplified bass guitar (as was our primary school experience.)

As I was flying solo that weekend, I needed an extra pair of hands. I looked around me and saw two nine year old boys. I picked the most focused one. The one who can take direction and rarely forgets to change his underpants. The one who can follow a brief.  The one who, when told, "go into the living room, get my handbag and bring it here," doesn't wander into the living room and then forget the rest of the sentence.

I showed him how to use the camera.  He was very attentive but I have to say, he did show undue interest in the zoom button and how it worked. I was reluctant to show him.  But he begged me.

I relented:

"I"ll show you the zoom, but only if you promise not to use it." I said.

He swore on his life, that he would not use the zoom button.  I handed him the camera.


Please enjoy his work (below):






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