1. 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?

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

3. 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?

4. Infant (0-1)
Emotional & Social Begins recognizing faces, voices, smells; begins showing early signs of responding to others; relies on caregivers for calming distress
Language Communicates through sounds (e.g., crying) and facial expressions; Can begin to express needs (e.g., hunger) and emotions (e.g., distress, happiness)
Can begin pushing body up, rolling, rocking, and sitting up with assistance; uses fingers and mouth to grasp objects and explore
More control over body (e.g., fine motor skills, can sit on his/her own, crawling, scooting)
Can travel more through crawling, scooting, standing, and walking, in many cases

5. Toddler (1-2) walking well with feet slightly apart
easily frustrated and throwing temper tantrums
kicking a ball and throwing over arm
saying 50 or more recognizable words and understanding more

6. Younger Child (3-7)
Children start to manipulate clothing fasteners, like zippers and snaps, and continue to gain independence in dressing and undressing themselves
Children at this age can also use larger writing instruments, like fat crayons, in a writing hold rather than just grasping them with their fist
Children can also complete other self-care tasks beyond dressing and undressing, such as brushing their teeth and combing their hair.

7. Older Child (8-12)
They begin to form values and challenge the self- confidence they have built over the preceding years
During this new phase, they seek to find the identity they will take with them into adulthood, along with the peers they feel reflect their values and sense of self.
Children this age show erratic, inconsistent behaviors: one moment they are happy, the next, weeping
During these years it is important for your child to develop increased independence from parents.

8. Teenager (13-18) Have more interest in the opposite sex.
Learn more defined work habits.
Show more concern about future school and work plans.
Have a deeper capacity for caring and sharing and for developing more intimate relationships.
Spend less time with parents and more time with friends.
Be better able to give reasons for their own choices, including about what is right or wrong.

9. Young Adult (18-21)
Physical maturity and reproductive growth leveling off and ending
Separation from caregivers
Intimate relationships are important
Abstract thought established – future oriented; able to understand, plan and pursue long range goals
Acceptance of adult responsibilities

10. 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.

11. “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!!!

12. 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

13. 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)

14. 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 effected. If you are not, many areas can be negatively affected.
Unprepared
Prepared

15. 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?

16. 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?

17. 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.

18. Cost of Raising a Child Assignment
What are the annual cost of the following for a young child?
Diapers and toys
Medical
Shelter
Food
Clothing
What is the annual cost of a teenager?
Cell Phone
Activities (Sports/Clubs/Music Lessons)
Last look into how much it will cost to send a child to college
Tuition
Room and Board
Meal Plan
Books

19. Parental Responsibility
Activity: Get an egg from Mr. Hahn. Inspect it carefully for cracks. Get Mr. Hahn 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?

20. 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

21. “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.