Child development students took turns carrying baby simulators over the past few weeks in order to experience the difficulties of parenting. The babies cried and had to be fed and changed just as real babies are.

“It was super embarrassing carrying my baby around,” sophomore Asia Bradley said. “I was seventeen with a child.”

During each student’s time, the babies were on 24/7 and could not be comforted by anyone but the student. Students wore electronic wristbands to ensure that nobody helped them.

“I had to step out of an OAP practice because my baby was super loud,” junior Madison Rowan said. “It was very disruptive.”

At one point during the assignment, Bradley had to care for her baby during a basketball game.

“Having my baby during the game sucked,” Bradley said. “It kept crying in the locker room and I wasn’t sure what to do.”

Teacher Wendy Neyland hopes that the project will help students make a more informed decision about whether or not they are ready to raise a child.

“Keeping up with the babies needs was really hard,” junior Yza Salazar said. “I’ll definitely think twice before having any kids of my own.”