Getting a baby is more than just carrying it around.
It’s burping it in class.
It’s protecting it in the hallways.
It’s changing diapers at lunch.
It’s trying to make it stop crying in the middle of the night.
Kind of like being a real parent.
And that’s the purpose of the baby project in child development, where students are issued a computerized baby to care for during a three and a half-day period.

About the class

Child development offers many benefits. As a dual credit course, it gives the opportunity to gain valuable life experiences, receive college credit, and even the opportunity to raise a child— a fake one that is. Students take this class for different reasons, some just for the college credit, others because they want the experience.

“Some people would say the baby is a con, or how you have to take them home. To some, it’s a pro, like the whole reason they do it,” said Child Development teacher Kirklan Capps.

While some students think that the baby’s behavior is set on the most difficult setting, Ms. Capps said that’s not the case. It’s actually on the easiest setting and is completely randomized.

“I just had a parent earlier this morning telling me that, ‘This was nothing like my kids. You guys need to change the name and reprogram it. This is not what a real baby is like,’” Ms. Capps said.

How it works

As students take care of their babies, the technology in the baby sends reports to the computer system, which then sends a report to Mrs.Capps. The reports tell Ms. Capps how the baby has been handled and if it has been taken care of on time.

But what happens if a student is at a game, taking a test, or going to work, and the baby needs to be taken care of? The answer is actually simple: the baby’s needs can be shut off.

“So they can get it on Friday morning and then they bring it back Monday morning. Or you can get it Monday morning and bring it back Thursday morning,” Ms.Capps said. “If they do it during the week, and something comes up, they can bring it to me, and we can put it on a daycare mode that technically shuts it off until they come back in and get it turned on.”

Along with the system creating a report, Ms.Capps also has the students log everything by hand.

“The system is really aware, and if you don’t do it at the exact time it’s going to count it wrong. That’s why I always have them log everything, and then I go through and compare them,” said Ms.Capps. “If they don’t log a lot I can’t really help them with their grade, but as long as they log everything, you’ll have a higher grade than what the computer gives you.”

It’s more than a grade

It’s not just a grade though. It’s a unique experience. Students form bonds and attachments to their babies in the brief time of taking care of them, even going as far as to name them and create personalities for them.

“It’s kind of shocking. Some of the kids that you kind of think will not do that well and don’t want to do it, end up doing really well.” Ms. Capps said. “I think once they get the babies, their responsibility and maturity comes out.”