During the final two weeks of school, the students at Cristo Rey Jesuit were suddenly seen carrying 3-pound packages of sugar and flour everywhere they went. The baking goods were not for a science experiment or a stint in home economics. Rather, it was for the “Baby Project” assigned to student by Ms. Flirtisha Harris in their Health classes. The packages of sugar and flour were to be treated as newborn babies and cared for for 2 weeks, day and night. While students were hard at work at the offices during their designated work day, the so-called babies were looked after in the day-care center that was Ms. Harris’ office.
Ms. Harris’ goal when assigning the project was to teach the students the difficulty of caring for a child at a young age: “The responsibility of being a parent is huge no matter how old you are,” she said.
On day one, the students carried their babies like sacks of flour and sugar. When asked by staff members what their babies’ names were, most of them responded that it didn’t have a name. As the days passed, more and more students began to bring their babies to life in a variety of ways: by giving them names, dressing them in newborn clothes and diapers, and swaddling them in blankets. Each day the babies obtained eyes, hair and even smiles. Baby gear such as child carriers, pacifiers, slings and bottles littered the classrooms.
Morgan Jackson said she found her baby’s name –Demarion Kerry Jackson –by searching on the internet for boy names that begin with a "D.” When asked how she felt about her baby, Morgan responded by saying she did not want a baby until she was in her late 20’s or 30’s and that it was hard work caring for a baby and going to school.
There was more to the “Baby Project” than caring for baking products, however. Students were required to keep a journal describing their thoughts and feelings on being a parent. In class, each student was arbitrarily assigned an income that he or she would earn given a certain education level. Ms. Harris asked the students to make a budget using their income with a range of expenses that they needed to cover. Some of the students had to work with an annual income of $19,500 or less. Ms. Harris explained that many high school drop-outs had limited earning power given their lack of education.
“The more education one receives, the potential for income increases,” said Ms. Harris as she pointed out that the salary potential for a person with a Bachelor or Master’s degree is much greater. The students were told that they need to put the following things in their monthly budget: daycare for $500; babysitting for $10 per hour with a 3 hour minimum; rent for $950 - $2000 depending on the location; electricity for $65-$210; water for $12; food, and insurance. Ms. Harris explained to the students that they need to budget for their needs, NOT their wants.
“Cable TV is not a need,” she said.
She asked each student to write a brief paragraph summarizing their situation and how they will break down their expenses.
“Caring for a baby costs about $20,000 per year,” Ms. Harris told the class.
You could hear a gasp from the back of the room from a student who had only been assigned an income of $19,500. He told the class that he would have his grandmother take care of his baby boy. Ms. Harris said that he would still need to pay his grandmother for her time and her expenses –nothing is free! Having a baby is not about playing dress-up with your doll. It is about a lifetime of responsibilities and sacrifices.
