At the culmination of a child development and babysitting unit,
eighth-graders in Ms. Ilene Fucci’s class at EMS had the opportunity to
meet a sweet one-year-old named Vivienne to gain some hands-on
experience. Many students in the class had never spent time with a child
that young before, and were delighted by her cherub-like presence.
Students had the opportunity to ask her mother, John H. Glenn High
School teacher Mrs. Megan Gieser, questions about topics such as
parenting, babysitting, and how to handle a baby’s emotional and
physical needs.
Mrs. Gieser shared her personal experience with
experiencing a new kind of love the day Vivienne was born, deciding
between daycare and a nanny, parenting expectations versus reality, and
more. Students also took turns learning how to hold a one-year-old.
“Teaching
them the basics of taking care of a child is very useful information
for middle schoolers,” said Ms. Fucci. “Not only will it help students
learn the importance of patience and staying alert when taking care of
children, but also is a great way for students to earn money before
having to commit to job that may not be as flexible.”
A few students with babysitting experience commented on the value of their experience with children.
“Working
with children definitely teaches you patience,” said eighth-grader
Angelina. “And it taught me that the calmer you are, the quicker you can
solve whatever the problem is happening.”