Are you ready? Will you ever be ready? Do you want to be a parent? Parenthood… Are you ready? Will you ever be ready? Do you want to be a parent?

Parenting Providing care, support and love in a way that leads to a child’s total development.

Parental Responsibilities Activity: In your groups, write the age assigned to your group in the center of a piece of paper. Go around the group and have each member take a turn writing a word that they think of when it comes to the care and responsibilities a parent has for that person. Go around the group a few times. Infant (0-1) Older Child (8-12) Toddler (1-2) Teenager (13-18) Younger Child (3-7) Young Adult (18-21) What did you come up with?

Responsibilities… So now we know what you are supposed to do to care for all different ages, but what happens when parents don’t do what they are supposed to? Activity: As a group, come up with a list of examples of things a “bad” or “ineffective” parent would (or wouldn’t do) for your person in the center of your paper. Come up with as many examples as you can that are related to the age of the person you have.

“Effective” parents provide… Physical Mental/Social Emotional Food Education Unconditional Love Clothing Ethics Nurturing Shelter Values Positive Self Concept Medical care Respect Guidance And most importantly…The parent’s TIME!!!

Parental Responsibilities Activity: In your groups. What effect does making the decision to become a parent have on the following areas: -Social wellness -Physical wellness -Mental wellness -Emotional wellness

Effects of deciding to be a parent Social Giving up time out with friends, for dinner, trips, etc. Physical Giving up time for exercise, sports, knowing your body will change (women) Mental Can be stressful to the individual or the relationship (unprepared) Emotional Can bring love of your child or your partner to new levels (prepared) Can make you feel inadequate or cause fights (unprepared)

Becoming a parent means giving up your time to care for your baby Becoming a parent means giving up your time to care for your baby. All areas of wellness are effected. If you are in a healthy relationship and financially, emotionally, and mentally prepared, many areas can be positively affected. If you are not, many areas can be negatively affected. Unprepared Prepared

Are You Prepared?! Activity: The cost of Raising a Child- Dollar & Sense Having a baby too young can have significant adverse impacts on the health and well-being of the mother, the baby, the father and society. Teen pregnancy is associated with increased school drop-out rates, low socio-economic status and increased likelihood of repeat pregnancies. How do you know when you are ready to have children? Several areas of readiness need to be considered: MARRIAGE READINESS, EMOTIONAL READINESS, SOCIAL READINESS, INTELLECTUAL READINESS, PHYSICAL READINESS, MORAL READINESS & FINANCIAL READINESS- Initial expenses include thousands of dollars for doctor and hospital bills and for baby food, diapers, clothing, cribs, strollers, toys, etc. for the baby. If both parents work, child care is a costly necessity. The loss of time spent with the child during his/her formative years is a major issue. Most families need more than one income to survive. As the child grows older, expenses increase. Not only are there increased costs of clothing and food but increases in cost of living space, as you need a house or bigger apartment with play areas, utilities, insurance, recreation, education, sports fees, dance and music lessons, savings for college, etc. It will cost parents as much as $250,000 to raise each child, just to the age of eighteen. You do not need to save the entire $250,000 before deciding to have a baby, but you do need to be financially stable.

Healthy Parenting Think to yourself… “Did the person/people who raised me provide everything I needed for total development?” Think to yourself… “Will I provide as much or more of those things to my children?” …Is it possible for a single parent to provide these things? …Is it possible to provide these things as a teen parent?

Teen Parenthood It is possible, but very rare when one considers the facts… Over 78% of teenage pregnancies are unplanned! As we said, deciding to be a parent is a huge responsibility when a couple is prepared and has planned together. It is an even bigger responsibility when the couple did not plan or prepare. Are you responsible enough?

Parental Responsibility Activity: Get an egg from Mr. Hennessey. Inspect it carefully for cracks. Get Mr. Hennessey to stamp the egg. This is now your child for the next few days. -Name your egg and write it on the shell -Draw what your son or daughter would look like on the shell -Decorate your son or daughter as you wish Remember, infants are fragile and require constant attention. Take your egg with you everywhere you go. Care for it carefully, just like babies need to be warm, these eggs need to be cold. Your egg must be cold to the touch when you bring it back to class. Are you an “Effective” parent?

This will be a Project grade! 50% of the Grade is the egg care Grading Rubric: 100% - Cold Egg, No cracks 75% - Warm Egg, No cracks 50% - Cold Egg, cracked shell 25% - Warm egg, cracked shell 0% - No egg returned

“Egg Baby” Reaction Assignment 50% of the Test Grade will be a reaction paper: Answer the following questions: -Were you successful in protecting your egg? Explain why or why not. -List the 3 most challenging times to protect your egg and explain why each was challenging. -What area of wellness would be most effected for you by becoming a parent? Explain why. (Social, Emotional, Physical or Mental) -What do you anticipate your biggest challenge to be if you become a parent? Explain.