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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

Virtual Baby - my teen has got one for the weekend

92 replies

lawstudentmum · 07/04/2011 23:59

My daughter is being given the virtual baby from the school at the weekend. so sleepless nights for us.
If anyone is interested in how it goes I think we are going to film the best bits and post up.

Hopefully this will give other parents an insight if they are thinking of doing the same - I will keep you all updated over the weekend on how it is going.

Has anyone else had the virtual baby?

OP posts:
Meglet · 09/04/2011 09:14

I always chuckle when I see the school-kids pushing those fake babies along.

Original poster
lawstudentmum · 09/04/2011 09:21

Good Morning all - well the house is now quiet, she had to get up three more times...she is flat out now though fast alseep - If I was mean, I would wake her up and tell her that it is time to clean the house, cook breakfast for us all, walk the dogs...well, is that not what a real mum does even when she has been up all night with the baby?? The day goes on. Grin

OP posts:
Meglet · 09/04/2011 09:36

You're never going to get any grandchildren now are you Wink.

upahill · 09/04/2011 09:47

A couple of years ago we went on a residential to do the virtual baby course. Very soon it became apparent that one girl was going to struggle more than usual. We put the crying setting on to the absoulte minimum to try to support and help her. However everytime the baby cried this girl howled herself.

It is harde enough for the staff not getting any sleep all weekend on the ressi and hearing up to 10 babies cry all night but to have the 'mothers' crying on top of that was just too much for me!!!

Original poster
lawstudentmum · 09/04/2011 11:31

http://www.youtube.com/user/educationrecycle1?feature=mhum

Just in case you want to see the footage from around 3 am !! Smile

OP posts:
Original poster
lawstudentmum · 09/04/2011 11:31

www.youtube.com/user/educationrecycle1?feature=mhum

OP posts:
Original poster
lawstudentmum · 09/04/2011 11:32

Sorry use the 2nd one

OP posts:
asdx2 · 09/04/2011 14:06

When my eldest two were 16 and 15 I had dd. They declared that she was the best incentive to use contraception that I could ever have given them. She was a very easy baby and they adore her now incidentally.

kickassangel · 09/04/2011 15:01

I am SO SO glad that I grew up with multiple younger cousins, and had 2 nieces before having dd. I knew exactly what was coming, and actually found it easier than expected. Not that we didn't have 'moments', but I was more prepared for the bad than the good.

It was the moments of bliss that shocked me - when we had her settled, and were able to get a take-away & just sit & enjoy our new daughter. That is one thing these virtual babies don't do, although I suspect that many teenagers assume that they will have the blissful parts without anticipating the others.

Original poster
lawstudentmum · 09/04/2011 15:39

Ok - it has happened she has cried !! Thats my dd not the virtual baby, we all know that crys.

So...Her Grandmother came round and told her that she was doing it all wrong and was laughing at her when she couldn't find where she had put the nappies and told her that maybe it would be better if she held it differently.

Then it happened - "I just feel so critisied by her" - welcome to the world of Motherhood! Grin

OP posts:
ColdHeartedBitch · 09/04/2011 15:49

Grin welcome to the world of mother hood indeed. Grin

LynetteScavo · 09/04/2011 15:55

Oh, bless.

My niece had the virtual baby from school. It slept through the night, so she thought it must be broken...gave it a good shake, and um...killed it. Shock

FlingonTheValiant · 09/04/2011 16:13

ROFL - Did you tell her that when they're real every single person you meet does that?

Poor thing. Tonight's going to be hideous for her.

It's a shame they can't give one to every teenager, boys as well. It'd be a superb contraceptive.

Meglet · 09/04/2011 16:36

Don't they give them to boys too? Shock

Original poster
lawstudentmum · 09/04/2011 18:52

So, she is doing really well - which funny enough is hard for me - I wanted to say, "see, not easy is it?" or " stop moaning about it and just get on with it, and don't think I am helping" but she is being an adult about it all, and she doesn't seem to need my help. Which I have just realised is where I am finding it hard - It has just hit me, she is not far off being all grown up and leaving home. OMG, when did she grow up!

I better find something else to do, than just wait for her to come home for her tea - What shall I do, I think I need a hobby - Yoga anyone? or Bookclub?

OP posts:
kickassangel · 09/04/2011 19:27

i'm finding this really interesting, both from her pov, and yours!
i used to teach in a school & when we had some of these, one girl i taught asked for it. as her partying was fairly legendary, i asked her how she'd cope. her answer 'oh, my mum says she'll look after it, just like she would if i had a real one'.

tell your dd i'm glad to be able to see how this goes, as i've often wondered how it really works - whether the teens just stick them in a cupboard & shut the door, or actually try to do things.

how good is the feedback? does it record if it's played with/held/left etc? i'd love to know. i know the 'parent' has some kind of key that is 'recognized' by the 'baby' when they feed it, but do nappy changes etc get recorded?

thinking about it 'doing really well' but also 'glad to see the back of it' is prob the best response, isn't it? you know she can cope, but also that she's not going to be taking any chances with getting pregnant.
the scariest thing is that 14/15 year olds really DO have really babies & have to cope with them.

amberleaf · 09/04/2011 19:55

Meglet They do give them to boys too.

Original poster
lawstudentmum · 09/04/2011 21:01

The feedback is that they have a key that is attached to their wrists - which they can not get off. Looks abit like a hospital band

They have to feed, change ( the nappies have a sensor in ) and the neck has a senor that shows if the neck has snapped back to fast. On, yes and wind - by rubbing the tummy with key thing. The feeding takes about 45 mins and the baby makes different crys for different needs - sounds very real. Winding takes different amounts of time - last night she had to do it for a whole hour.

It also shows if the baby has been treated to rough, shaken, thrown etc. If she does not do the right things - and the baby is left for example crying for too long it shows up as a neglect.

When she gives the baby back - they will get the data from the weekend and give her the results.

OP posts:
JuicyLips · 09/04/2011 21:41

Sounds a very useful learning tool. We didnt have them in our school but they seem like a very good idea.

Original poster
lawstudentmum · 09/04/2011 23:34

www.youtube.com/user/educationrecycle1?feature=mhum

When our dog 'summerbear' met the virtual baby - just a bit of fun, if you want to watch.

I think it is quite sweet - but I would ! Anyway talk to you all tomorrow

Ps. DD is STILL OUT with the virtual baby, she was meant to be back an HOUR AGO- she wouldn't be able to do this with a real baby. So this bit is not realistic. Out with friends having a BBQ - Am not happy with her, thought she had grown up a bit over the last couple of days - but I think not. Just think if it was a real baby - would I be now left holding it whilst she was out - with me ringing her telling her to come home and her not!! No thanks.

Thanks again all for advice over last few days - I've enjoyed it.

OP posts:
Original poster
lawstudentmum · 10/04/2011 00:28

She is back - We are not talking now !! Night all

OP posts:
Original poster
lawstudentmum · 10/04/2011 14:11

Hi,

last couple of updates as the baby is going back tomorrow 10am - anyway - after last night - up twice with it 1am and 4am ( not me I would like to add - but her ) I didn't even wake up to be honest - Left her to it.

She was in a reflective mood this morning and was asking alot of questions about how I coped when she was a baby - she seemed to have just a little more respect and understanding towards the job I had been doing for the last 16 yrs. Which was nice. I even got a hug ( been a long time since I got one of those )

She says that she is tearful and doesn't know why - BABY BLUES - do you think you can get that even with a virtual baby? Grin

I asked if she was looking forward to giving Teddy the VB back tomorrow - and she said through a stream of tears - I can't wait, really I can't... but I know I am going to miss him as soon as he is gone - ( know the feeling )

OP posts:
kickassangel · 10/04/2011 14:59

gosh, i hadn't realised quite how 'real' the experience could be. just shows how much sleep deprivation affects people.
i'd love to know whether hormones also react to the situation?

let us know how she got on - when she went to the bbq yesterday, did you have the baby or her?

i think the bracelet is quite symbolic - it's almost like being tied to the baby, which of course, they should be, if it's to simulate real parenthood.

are her friends still helping out, or have they got fed up? have you asked her how she'd feel if there was NO option to give it back, but that this was her life now?

Original poster
lawstudentmum · 10/04/2011 16:42

When she went out yesterday to the bbq - she had the baby, and I think that the bbq ( from what she has half told me ) turned in to quite a party - parents had gone out. The 'boys' turned up - and mixed reactions - some helped her out as they saw that she was tired, and some tried to be stupid with him.

Friends are being great and still helping her out -in the day - but...no one there to help her at night. She says already, that she can't imagine her life without virtual baby with her - but I will ask her your question later this evening - good questions ( if no option )

OP posts:
LynetteScavo · 10/04/2011 17:44

Thanks of the updates.

1am and 4pm sound very realistic. And it's interesting about the boys reactions.

I'm wondering if she will worry about Teddy once someone else is looking after him.

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