BABY DAYS

Term 4 is a time for growth, studying and realization. For the year 10’s this term, these characteristics reached their peak. For a “week of hell” our new parents experienced the life of a mom and dad, some even as a single parent.

In PSHE, the year 10s were given their scenario:

Congratulations on your new baby girl/boy! For this week, you will protect, carry and care for your bundle of joy, your reason for happiness, your new baby.

Previously, the students had learnt about the dangers of teen pregnancy, and to put these effects into full practice, the tradition of a week of parenthood fell upon our Year 10’s. This exercise showed them around half of the inconveniences associated with falling pregnant during high school and gave them a taste of parenthood and the seriousness of how their actions lead to life-changing consequences.

Along with their marriage counsellors and child service observers (Mrs. Pike and MR. Henry), 25 students were sent into the unexpected realm of parenthood, a steep and everchanging road. For a week of trials and tribulations, a class of teenagers grew into adults within 1 hour of the introduction to their shared responsibility. For a week, relationships flourished and fell apart, based simply on the second name of their child. For a week, the struggles and triumphs of our students depended on the presence of their child. For a week, a 5kg sack of flour dressed in warm clothes and wrapped securely in a fuzzy blanket consumed our students’ minds.

Some parents began joining day-care groups, during breaks and for after-school sports, whereas others would cling onto their “Peter” or “Mary” for the entire day, only releasing when their partner’s turn began. Along with “organised” schedules, the babies were swapped throughout the day between parents and sometimes even god-parents. Babies slept on their parents’ shoulders or in their cot during lessons, with our parents’ watchful eye always checking up on them. For a week of stress and impractical situations, a sense responsibility and love arose within each student. Their baby had become part of their daily routine by the end of their experience, and for some, it was hard to say goodbye.

Overall, there were many lessons, learnt from many mistakes!

Along with babies having new daily outfits, playdates, story time and even burping time, some of the core responsibilities flew out of the window! Some babies became very familiar with lockers, with teachers throughout their lessons and with the school overnight. It is safe to say that after the first two days, the novelty of having a child wore off, and rapidly. By day 5, arms were aching, words were mumbled, and prayers were uttered, all of which lead to one united hope: I want to be a teenager again.

However, when day zero arrived, returning their babies came with some reluctance. As, to be fair, relationships between parent and “child”, and more importantly, parent and parent had grown- had solidified. The class as a whole came together to, as a unit, a team, support each other during their change and adaptation. The babies being friends caused our year 10’s, too, to grow more as a family and acted as a shared experience, which resultantly, linked the students. A week of fearing became a week of learning, and overall, our students grew not only as people but in turn, as a group.