By: Shannon Kellogg

At the end of every semester comes final exams. For most students’ classes, that means studying countless pages of notes and worksheets in order to prepare for a 50-question nightmare. However, in Mrs. Alexander’s Parenting class, the students are tasked with the job of parenthood. For one whole school week, students must care for a 10-pound sack of flour to mimic the responsibilities of being a parent. Family Consumer Science teacher, Mrs. Alexander, shared with The Squire that students must carry the flour baby with them wherever they go and leave the baby with a responsible adult, if they should need a babysitter. In addition, one time during the week, the students must wake up in the middle of the night and send a picture to their teacher of them caring for their baby, to mimic what most parents do every night. One day during the week-long project, the students must also research a certain disease or sickness that a real child might get. The ailments can range from Kawasaki Disease to Cleft Palate. Mrs. Alexander shared that “the purpose is to help teens realize the demand and responsibility that comes with being a parent.”

Students in Parenting Class have learned many valuable lessons throughout the course of the class, from how to swaddle a baby, to what types of foods to feed infants. Senior and seasoned FCS veteran, Alex Barnett, sat down with The Squire to talk about his experience with the flour baby. When asked how this project has changed his outlook on having children, Barnett said, “They are a complete and total priority in your life, but they also bring buckets of joy.” Alex also shared that this project has very much swayed him away from having children while in high school. He noted that the flour baby final was “hard work, but very beneficial and worth it.”

If you are interested in learning all about children and how to care for them, consider signing up for Mrs. Alexander’s parenting class next semester. Anyone who thinks children might be a part of their life someday would benefit greatly from taking this course. Mrs. Alexander reminds high school students and future parents, “Parenting is individualistic. You can learn best case practices, but, in the end, you need to do what is best for your child.”