Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
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Tonya Papanikolas ReportingIt's often said that you can't know what it's like to be a parent until you become one, but a program at several high schools in the state is trying to teach students just how many responsibilities come with the job.
These days, a lot of high school kids are sexually active. Teachers told us that sometimes teenage girls actually want to be moms because there's a special attention that comes with being pregnant at a young age.
The goal of this program is to put some realism into parenting.
Junior Amy Ormond is waddling down the hallways at Ben Lomond High. You may guess she's pregnant, but actually she is wearing a fabric belly to simulate being pregnant.
Amy Ormond, Junior, Ben Lomond High: "The walking is different, the pressure on your back is different, and being able to stay focused in school, it's a lot harder."
Teachers say the outfit is pretty realistic. The first piece wraps around your midsection, making it harder to breathe. Once the suit is on, a fake bladder is put underneath to press against your own.
Even boys get the experience.
Jesse Bryan, Senior: "It's kind of heavy, warm, hurts my neck a little bit."
The kids say wearing the stomach for a day has taught them a lot about pregnancy.
Amy Ormond: "I definitely learned it's a lot harder than I thought it was. If kids know what it's like, they're probably not gonna want to do it as soon."
That's the point behind the project. Along with wearing bellies, kids who volunteer to participate also get a doll for a night. The dolls are computer-programmed to cry and fuss like real babies. The students must learn what the baby needs. They have to feed and rock them and change their diapers.
Stacie Thorsted, Sophomore: "When I would feed it, I would just have to sit there and not be able to do anything."
Amanda Thornock, Senior: "I had other things like homework and activities I had to do, and I had to drop everything when he or she cried."
The students say the babies kept them up for hours at night, but they're grateful for the experience and all learned one thing.
Amanda Thornock: "That I definitely wasn't ready to have a baby yet."
Stacie Thorsted: "You're so young and you have your own responsibilities right now."
The students can't pawn off the babies on someone else... they wear a bracelet that activates the baby's responses. The computer chips register how the baby is handled and how many times they've been fed and changed.
