Darcy's Science Project

This week in Darcy's Life-skills class she and her classmates have had to parent a "flour baby".  The point, of course, being that teen pregnancy is not easy STAY AWAY FROM PENISES.  Madison did the project last year only they had to carry an egg, which didn't really make sense to me since the teacher made it a hard boiled egg in case an egg would break in his room.  Sort of defeated the whole purpose, I thought, which is maybe what he thought since this year he switched it to a 5 lb. bag of flour.

The kids were to keep a journal.  They were to treat the flour as if it were a real baby; feeding it, bathing it, babysitting it, diapering it, etc.  While they were in class the babies would be in the science room in daycare, but the students were to bring in diaper bags with all the necessities to care for their children during lunch and breaks.  Unlike Madison's class, Darcy's class wholeheartedly embraced the whole assignment.  The weekend they were to get the flour pictures were texted of the babies that were born.  The babies had faces and clothes and diapers.  Darcy went through all of her doll stuff to make sure her son, Tommy, was outfitted accordingly.

Tommy went everywhere that Darcy went.  If Darcy had to be somewhere that wasn't a place for a baby then it was her responsibility to make sure Tommy had a sitter to watch over him.  Darcy took the assignment very seriously, as did Tommy's grandparents.  One night at midnight Grandpa Tom downloaded a video of a crying baby on his IPad and put it in Darcy's room so that she had to get up and feed Tommy.  Grandma Cara fed the baby in the mornings so that Darcy could get herself dressed and put together before school.

Me:  "Darcy, seriously, comb your hair!  You can't go to school looking like that."
Darcy:  (Tommy in her arms)  "That is a two handed job, and as you can see I don't have two hands at the moment!"

Even our company from Indiana got involved. 

Robin:  "Never put the baby next to a block of knives.  Look what can happen!"


Darcy:  "ROBIN!"

It is amazing how heavy a 5 lb. sack of flour becomes after holding it in your arms and bouncing around.  Much like - well - a newborn baby.  At one time or another all of us held little Tommy and took care of him.  Darcy was quite the little trooper staying on schedule with naps and feedings.  Only once did she not hear him crying at 4:00 AM.  Madison, Robin, and Kristen DID hear him.

The novelty began wearing thin about the fourth day, which was longer than I thought.  Darcy probably lasted longer than her classmates.  Some of them were over it after one day.  I think us being involved the whole way really gave her a perspective of what having a child is really like.  Hopefully she will STAY AWAY FROM PENISES for a very, very, very long time.  That's what I told her to tell her teacher if he asked what they learned from this assignment, but she looked at me and said, "Uh, yeah, not going to happen."

Baby Tommy sleeping.  Shhh....

Baby Angelica ready for the pool

Baby Tommy poolside