When signing up for a child development high school class, most students would think they’re signing up to learn about lullabies, diapers, and pacifiers. What they may not expect is to be waddling down the hallway carrying an extra 20 pounds on them or not being able to tie their shoes with a baby in the way.
Child Development 1, a class taught by Mrs. McFadden is a class full of hands-on learning experiences. In this class students get to experience the ups and downs of the reality of motherhood and get a feel of what the nine months of pregnancy can entail.
In this unit, students taking this class put on fake pregnancy bellies filled with water and a fake baby to get a firsthand experience of what motherhood might feel like. This exercise helps students understand some of the physical difficulties of pregnancy that you can’t understand from lectures or textbooks.
“The best way to learn is to actually experience it,” McFadden said.
Not only do the students just wear the fake pregnancy belly but there’s more to it. First, the student wearing the belly goes with a partner or two into the preschool room next door to complete a set of everyday tasks that most students could do with ease, but wearing the belly makes it harder. The list of tasks goes from untying and retying shoes to trying to stand up from a chair with an extra 20 pounds strapped to them. After the tasks have been attempted the student has to go on a walk to the hallway above the child development classroom, meaning they have to walk up the stairs with the fake pregnancy belly.
“It’s so hard,” said Child Development student Maya Davidson (9).
Even though it may seem like everyday tasks can’t get any harder just because of a few extra pounds and a bump trying to hold them back, many students face the reality of many moms and realize that it’s not that easy for mothers to continue everyday activities the further they get into their pregnancy.
By the end of the class, students gain a deeper understanding of the physical challenges that come with pregnancy and motherhood. Wearing the fake pregnancy belly helps students realize the strength and patience needed by many mothers daily to carry a baby, which is McFadden’s goal while teaching this class.
