Egg-Cookin' Colin

This was a really fun project. However, I experienced great technical difficulties with this final video.

You will find that this video is about my son Colin but also my transition into allowing him to grow up, which is still a work in progress. I find it is so hard to let your children be independent, especially with Colin. He is the youngest of my four children. As I watch him grow up, I watch myself age. Parenting is that difficult balance of meeting the needs of your child and letting them go. This video is a small snapshot of how this plays out in everyday life. A task as simple as cooking an egg can have the biggest impact on a child. This is actually a true story and how I felt that morning. Colin really did brag about cooking this egg for weeks. I guarantee if any of you asked about it today, you would hear all about it, in detail. It demonstrates the importance my role is in his life as a mom; not just to take care of him but to also teach him he can take care of himself.

Second Project

Egg Cookin' Colin


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9Eaa242anM

Since my first project was of a serious nature, I elected to make my second project simplier. More so to demonstrate how the media of story can be used as a simple yet effective tool to create meaning for children in therapy. For this project, I used my youngest guinea pig [child].

Two Column Story Table: Egg Cookin’ Colin

Colin waking up in bed, rubbing his eyes: “I’m hungry” Problem
Mom says: “Let’s make scrambled eggs” Challenge presented: promotes family time; togetherness; love; encouragement
We gather the ingredients Promotes team work; listening skills; self-esteem building
Colin tries to break the egg but can’t. Wants to give up. Asks his mother to do it for him. Struggle ensures. The child exhibits self-doubt over abilities; fear of failure
Mom says: “You can do it, crack the egg one more time. You won’t hurt anything. If we make a mess, we will just clean it up and get another egg.” Colin cracks the egg again. Child is encouraged to not give up and keep trying.
SUCCESS!! Colin cracks his egg into the bowl. He whips the egg in satisfaction over what he has accomplished. He dumps the egg into the pan to cook. Child gains self-esteem and confidence. Learns that success comes from trying and pushing past fear. (try-try-again)
Colin enjoys the fruits (or eggs) of his labor. He gains self-confidence and self-esteem as he has learned a new skill and the satisfaction that comes from self-sufficiency. Lesson learned: Never give up!

Egg Cookin' Colin: Second Story Project

Individuation

Knowing your own darkness is the best method for dealing with the darkness of other people.
~Carl Jung

Interview Reflection:

The story I created was about the transformation of an integral relationship in my life. My best friend's betrayal and the disappointment experienced when she gave into her insecurities, competitive nature and greed. The purpose was purely narcissistic. At summer session, Dr. Ohler discussed his use of story to help therapy clients "reason out" or concretely process struggles within their lives. So, I used this media project for my own personal catharsis.

I'm pretty limited with using media techniques and this was my first attempt at movie maker. I really utilized the experiential nature of this project to craft my inner feelings with an outward vehicle. Since I've experienced the benefits of this tool firsthand, I feel more confident and competent now to use this technique with my own clients who are struggling with a variety of issues.

You tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yvze-RfsPzU