European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 25, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Monday. January 25. 1986 the stars and stripes Page 9 tilt pen parents were forced to Combine a life of books and babies. Sheila Van sickle 15, of a to shirt that summed up her experiences during the project. Terri Jensen. 16, Learned hut Ria Danu. Writing Alu Bra and motherhood Are a i l it Jirele. No kidding these students Learned a lesson by Janet Fowells Tierne stiff writer Wiesbaden the flour children of inc 80s delivered a Henrj message to students at Wiesbaden High school. Don t gel do disc m. Grizzle 15, said. Babies Are a lot of work. When i was doing Ray Home work i could t Juil leave in on a table or bed and say slay " the Idith gun Der was one of 20 students who volunteered to upend 10 Days caring for 3-Pound sacks of flour As if the sacks were real babies. The health Flass project ended Friday required inc teen age mashers and fathers 10 do everything from regularly chancing their babies diapers to hiring baby Sitters. We treated this mtg seriously said health teacher sue i. Kim Marci. It started with 20. Hut some dropped Oul and some were added so we ended up with 16 who saw it through. This was the lint time we tried this us an Experiment. It was Mills Lough on the kids because they Are having finals Sui dents Nan cd and dressed to Weir flour sacks to remind them that the bundles represented real of the it a parents borrowed Lile Sie dolls to nurture instead of the More delicate sacks. All new parents were Given birth certificates to fill out. And they had to compile lists of necessary1 immunizations fur their charges. Journals were kept of How the students eared for their babies and How much i Cost for , fond and clothing. Child neglect during the project ran rampant. Lii k. Moon. I6. Bluntly admitted on the last Day of her parenthood hat she had cheated. When the alarm rang fur a 2 . Feeding. Maun shut the annoying thing off and fell Hack to sleep leaving her hungry flour sack uni Endi d temporary Mother Kieule taken 10, said due Day she could t find anyone to Walchli her baby. In desperation she Ralio Nuli a thai it was Only a flour sack and she Lefi it alone for an hour. The confessions of mild lapses brought. Harless. 15. Told how1 he was holding his baby while opening to Wuker when he lost his Grio. When i dropped in. Flour went All Over the place harsh is said. He then mull cd the baby in i locker minus some of its stuffing and dashed 10 class. Laler ii Haliy broken seam was mended with tape. Many of he parents agreed hat inc babies Here easy to forget because they did t cry or respond like the real thing. Otic Lime i left the baby on the floor and our cat get hold of it said Jne m. Harris 17, who started the. Pray if As a single father but soon asked Terri a. Jensen 16.10 Kielp out As the baby s Mother. At first the students Peers were delighted by the t try Ken met sue Kru Mercl. Health Eachor at sinbad in High school and head of the baby cure project u Ith u flour child. Wrapped bundles being carried from class to class. Hut it did t take Long for to Ltd Tio Volly to Wear off for the first few Days most were very Grizzle said. Rut others would hit it and could t understand when w p got ups Harless took his baby to football practice once an the hapless infant became inc football. The project prompted Many serious discussions be tween the students and i in parents about what would happen if he situation became a reality my parents said it would he cute if i had a baby Sheila Van sickle 15, said. Thuv did t mean right away but som Cimic in the. Future. They told me thai if1 Ever go pregnant that i could come to them and 1hey would t k mad but would help me take care of Van sickle s parents were so helpful with the baby project thai she did t have to worry much about who would watch it. My mom always woke up to watch she said. They even took her to a petting zoo and inc my parents said if i have a kid it s mine said Michelle r. Ladley 15, while adjusting baby Frankie s Blanket in might be their Way of scaring me about having Jensen who has never had problems hah sitting. Found that having a baby full Lime is no picnic. I realized that fur a few hours just does t compare 10 caring far a baby All inc Lime she said. My social life was ruined some of my girl friends wanted me to go Oul but said they did t want me 10 bring thai stupid baby " Many of the Stu Denis reached definite conclusions from the project. Everyone should do this kind of thing before icy have a Grille said. It s a demanding Job and can really be a i could t Wail to gel rid of it starless said. I would l want la Deal with a real Demetri us l Gardner 16, said. I Don t think i m ready for i m never going to have a Stephanie k. Eldridge. 15, said it s a
