During the past few weeks, our Psychology and Education 101 classes experienced the tough task of life: parenting. These classes took part in a project labeled “The Baby Project’ where students had the chance to step into the role of parents.

Students were given the responsibility of being in charge of an egg or a baby doll. They were assigned this item to look after as if it were their own child. They were expected to manage their schedules to fit their new parenting duties. 

Students in the Teacher Cadet class also navigated the cost and budgeting of having a child. Here, they learned just how expensive having a child is. 

They tackled the obstacles of their everyday life while looking after their “baby”. Those with eggs were expected to be extra careful throughout the day in order to ensure that they didn’t break or crack them. It was also meant to be treated as an actual child. Which means, no rough play or tossing the doll or egg. 

Some students while on campus experienced friends fooling around with their children. The other students didn’t see the significance of the item, because on the surface it is just a toy or egg. The student’s job is to inform them that the object is their responsibility and that they are to look after it as if it is their child. 

Helen Watts, a senior, shares, “During lunch, my friend kept tossing my egg.” 

The purpose of this project is to help explore the physical, emotional, and social demands of parenthood. It gives students a little experience with child care and gives them an idea of what exactly it entails to be a parent. 

This ties in with the Teacher Cadet’s lessons on childhood development. After completing the physical portion of the project, the Cadets were to reflect on their experiences. They wrote about what they did and didn’t enjoy, as well as what they had learned from having this child. 

Scott Bass, a senior and Teacher Cadet, shares his takeaways from the assignment. “I learned the responsibility of having to take care of something so fragile like that and worry about where it was. It also kind of stressed me out to worry about bringing it to school and making sure I had it in a safe place.”

Overall, the project was helpful in teaching the importance of learning how to work with kids.