So last semester I took Child Development class. This class taught me many things about baby and parenthood. We got a project called Flour Baby. So, this is the story!
That day when my host parents were already home, I told them I would have a baby. First I told my host mom. She knew about flour baby so she was not really surprised about it. But she was glad to hear that. Then I said to my host dad, “Daddy, I will have a baby!” He said, “What?! Are you kidding me?!” My mom and I laughed so hard. Mom explained him that it wouldn’t be real baby, just the fake one, flour baby. It’s only a project for Child Development Class.
After that I told my host sister and two of host brothers I would have a baby. Mylia was surprised. I told her the truth. She was so happy then. Rio was surprised. He made a flat face showed he didn’t believe me. He said, “What?! Baby?!” He laughed. I laughed, too. I told him the truth. Cheo was also surprised but then I told him. Daddy said, “We’re gonna have one more member in our family, guys!”
I asked my host sibling who wanted to babysit my baby. Mylia was so excited. “I will!” she said. Her face looked so glad. Only Mylia who minded to babysit. Well, I wasn’t really upset.
First day of parenthood week, I showed my baby to my family. I said the head was so tiny. My mom said it was adorable. Yeah, she just made my day. The others said that’s pretty.
When I was home, I found my family was in the living room. I got closer to Mylia. “This is aunt Mylia. Hi aunt Mylia!” I said. Then to Rio and Cheo, “These are uncle Rio and uncle Cheo” I said. “Well, that sounds weird,” Cheo said. I got closer to daddy. “This is grandpa,” I said. “I’m not a grandpa yet, I don’t have a grandchild yet” he said. But yeah that’s true. Haha.
I also showed my flour baby to grandparents. Grandma said that’s cute. Grandpa said that I had to take care of it. Sure, I would.
I changed the outfits everyday. My family said, “You’re gonna get good score for this.” “I hope so.”
I remembered when I brought my baby to the bedroom. My sister said, “Why do you bring your baby and sleep with it? That’s creepy. It scares me.” Those words hurt me. I said, “Because this is what I’m supposed to do. Will you leave your baby alone?” “But that’s not a real baby. It’s not a human. It’s just fake baby.” “Well, whatever you say, but this is what I’m supposed to do and I love doing this.” Oh well, that’s just common thing for sisters.
The last day of parenthood my local coordinator came to Norwell. She was so happy about this project. She laughed so hard and said, “This is a good project to do. I’ll take a picture of you and post it to FLAG. I love this!”
So overall, my family was glad to see me happy doing this project even though this is quite hard to do. Oh ya, I named her Kaisa Marhamah Sajihah which means beautiful and wise.
These are some questions for summary sheet!
A. What difficulties and frustration did you encounter during your week of parenthood?
First time I was happy doing this project but I thought this would be complicated and hard.
I even finished making my flour baby a night before it should be done. First day, I felt so heavy because I was carrying bag back on my shoulder and the flour baby with the carrier in front of my chest. In Choir class, I had to carry the baby when I was singing. I couldn’t just let the baby on the ground. It was awful because I couldn’t take deep breath for singing. I couldn’t sing like normally I do.
So I asked my mom to go to grandma’s house to take the baby carrier which is more comfortable for the baby and more comfortable for me. So in Choir class I didn’t have to carry the baby when I was singing. I did the second day. I thought it would be easier but I was totally wrong. That baby carrier was much more heavier. It hurt my hand. My muscle was like doing hard work. I still felt it for several days after. I only had that baby carrier 2 days.
The second day was because I had choir practice so I must left it on the ground with that heavy carrier. I remember the last day of the project, when I was walking at the hallway to the 6th period, all of sudden my books dropped to the ground. I was on the middle of the way and made a traffic. That was so embarrassing me, a lot. I apologize everyone. I also have funny experience in the restroom. When I went in with the baby it is hard for me to open my pants. It took forever. Then I realized how hard my mom work for me when I was a baby.
B. Explain 1experience from the week that you will never forget?
Thing that I will never forget during my parenthood week is I had to wake up early every morning and went to the basement by myself and changed the outfits. Actually I could do it at night but my sister said it was creepy. I was so sad she told me that. When I came to the basement, I started to imagine scary things like how if ghost suddenly appeared or how if the baby dolls in the basement could talk then defeated me. Or even worse, how if my flour baby could talk to me. That was kind of weird experience but I liked it.
C. What are some “Words of Wisdom” that you would give a teenager that wanted to have a baby asked on your experience this week?
Based on my experience, I learn many things about having baby. Taking care of baby is exhausted. We feel overwhelmed the first time we see the baby born but for them who are not ready yet will feel depress.
So some words of wisdom for teenager who wants to have a baby:
“Taking care of a baby is not as easy as we think. That is hard, especially for teenagers. Teenagers still can’t control their emotion. When we have a baby we have to be ready inside and outside. Our life style will be totally changing. Activities that we used to do, we can’t do it no more. So think about it make a good decision.”
Thanks to Mrs. Diana Burgan for this fun class!
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