Flour Bags Provide Parenthood Simulation

Ryan Boyd’s Psychology classes created and cared for “flour babies” to simulate the responsibilities of parenthood.  The project began on Monday, May 8.

“The goal is to give them a little bit of the sense of being a parent. Obviously it’s a very limited simulation, but they get a sense of it,” said Boyd. “This group has been fairly mature with the kids, and for the most part, responsible. There’s been a couple people who have left their babies in trucks, or at home.”

“It’s the topic of childhood development and how it feels to carry around a kid, and the responsibilities that come with it,” said sophomore Hannah Grossen. “It’s been kind of fun. However, the baby does hurt my wrist after a while. It’s a five pound bag of flour, and then you put it in clothes, add some cottontails or tissues, and then add a head.”

Senior Lindsay Tinker, who has a full-time job outside of school, said, “I think it’s really cute. I’m not super enthused because that means I have to have it when I’m at work. I’m supposed to have it all the time. It’s a good project, but it’s just going to be hard for me.”

The students had the choice of creating the baby at school or at home. “Some of them brought [the flour babies] fully completed on the Monday after it was assigned, but I gave them the Monday after to work on it. A lot of them made the babies in class,” said Boyd.

“It took me a little while to figure out exactly how I wanted to construct it to make sure the head would stay on, but it was pretty simple,” said Grossen.

While the design of the baby may have been simple, some, like Tinker, purchased additional accessories to lend authenticity. “We had to have baby clothes too, so that was a lot. I maybe spent $20,” she explained.

Grossen spent the same amount. “You had to spend money to get the supplies, but that’s about it. I spent around $20,” she said.

The simulation lasted one school week, concluding on Friday, May 12.