The school doesn’t teach real-world things. Right? Wrong.

This year, students are learning the difficulties of being parents! Mrs. Kara Sears’s child development class was given the responsibility of caring for their very own “sugar babies.” These babies are actual bags full of sugar meant to teach these students about the importance of childcare.

The week consists of carrying the babies everywhere, making sure they don’t get damaged, and most importantly, making sure they do not get lost. Teachers outside the child development classroom also gain a new responsibility: watching these parents care for their children. Teachers were asked to take notes and sign off on the care of these babies. If not correctly managed, teachers were asked to mark down these parents and report them for “child abuse.” With this in mind, every mess-up shaves off a mark on this project!

Not only do these students have to care for their children outside of school, but at home as well. They have the option of “hiring” a babysitter or taking their children to work. Essentially, they are put through a similar experience as teen parents. Ryannah Miller,a junior, speaks of her experience. “We were able to design our baskets and even decorate them!” she begins. “It’s been a pretty good experience for me.” Continuing on, Miller adds, “ I think it has been easier for me because I’ve grown up taking care of other children most of my life. They’re similar to those kids, except I don’t have to change their diaper–and they don’t cry!” 

This week has been a tough one for many of these students but has provided them with some much-needed insight. Becoming a parent is never easy, but a young parent must be, without a doubt, a resilient individual.