Lessons teach empathy, responsibility to child development classes

by Sydney Prihoda • Oct 27, 2023 • 84 Views

In Darlene Parsons child development class students learn about the miracle of life, including the stages of pregnancy. Recently, the class was able to participate in one of the most exciting aspects of the course – The Empathic Belly project.

MOM LIFE. Editorial writer Sydney Prihoda models the Empathy Belly during child development.

The lessons learned by the class will be used for decades to come

Empathy Belly is a vest designed to simulate pregnancy. According to Empathy Resources LLC, the original creator of the garment, the belly provides a medically accurate simulation of pregnancy. This includes symptoms and effects such as:

carrying 30 extra pounds
bladder pressure
shortness of breath
uncomfortable positions
fatigue

An empathy belly is a specially designed multi-component weighted vest that allows men, women, boys and girls to temporarily experience the typical symptoms and effects of pregnancy.

In the class the students had to go through multiple tasks to partially understand what it feels like to be pregnant for a day. They had to do things to test your mobility like picking up pencils off the floor and tying your shoes. The students had to test their comfortableness when laying on a beanbag and trying to find the most comfortable position to sleep in. And the students even have to go outside in the hallway just to see how people look at them differently. All of these tasks are reality for pregnant people and how they have to adjust while caring for the baby.

In child development the students also have to take a whole course on prenatal care and the importance of it. The students learn about the proper way to be pregnant. They have to learn the rules and restrictions a pregnant woman has to go through, such as

the proper diet
staying active
doctors appointments
importance of your mental health
avoiding chemicals and drugs

It is a necessity to have good prenatal care when pregnant. Fetal care helps keep a mom and their healthy. Babies of mothers who do not receive prenatal care are three times more likely to have a low birth weight and five times more likely to die than mothers who receive care. Doctors can detect health problems early if they visit mothers regularly. Taking child development and learning about all the stages of pregnancy and motherhood in high school can make a difference in the lives of students in the future.

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About the Contributors

Sydney Prihoda

Sydney is a junior at Willis High School. She's on the Willis varsity softball team and has been awarded co-offensive player of the year her freshman year along with academic awards. She is a member of the student council and has recently become a staff member for the Willis High School newspaper, and she plans on joining the National Honor Society this year. Sydney has lived in Willis her whole life and is excited to travel when she graduates. She is planning on playing college softball after high school and wants to get her degree in kinesiology to become a physical therapist/trainer when she grows up. In her free time she loves being outdoors and playing spikeball.

Kelsie Wyland

Kelsie is a junior at Willis High School. She has recently become a staff member of the Voice of the Wildkats. She is a member of the Willis softball program student council and National Honor Society. In her free time, she likes being active, cooking, outdoors, playing with her pets, and enjoys watching movies. Kelsie also coaches preschool gymnastics. After she graduates she plans to become and family divorce lawyer. You can reach her through her school email [email protected].