Would You Donate Your Baby?by Valorie Delp | More from this Blogger 26 Mar 2008 06:23 AM That's exactly what five sets of parents are doing all in the name of social science. . .or reality television. I'm not sure which. The Baby Borrowers is a new television show (based on a show already airing in Britain) in which five couples, ages 18 to 20 try to weather the storms of adulthood with a real baby. They have to set up a house, take care of a real baby, and one of them has to get a job. They are fast tracked through the stages of adulthood. . .with a baby, then a toddler, then a sassy pre-teen and finally they are faced with caring for an elderly person. It's Not Television, It's Birth Control Or at least this is what the "Baby Borrowers" website has to say. Never mind the fact that I would NEVER in a million years lend my baby to a couple of teenagers for three days. Never mind the fact that I think it's highly unethical to experiment on real human beings--especially given that we have so much technology these days. (They couldn't use those robotic babies that other programs do?) I'm not really fooled into thinking this is good television or birth control. Programs to discourage teens from getting pregnant are not new. In fact when I was in junior high we had a baby egg to care for. Not the same, but simulated enough that you get the idea that parenting is no cake walk. The truth is though, that these couples know that they only have a baby for three days. Make it through three days and they can give it back. As we know, we cannot give our babies back. Not to mention the fact that it is different when the cameras are rolling. Reality television in my view, is only a little bit of warped reality. The Real Victims However, the people I feel sorry for in this scenario are the babies. The parents are living in a house nearby and can monitor the teen couples 24/7 and step in at any time. The couples are also supervised by a nanny. But I can't help but think that these little babies will miss mom and dad. There is something to be said for the attachment that babies feel towards their parents and money or no money, giving my infant away for three days just isn't an option. Valorie Delp shares recipes and kitchen tips in the food blog, solves breastfeeding problems, shares parenting tips, and current research in the baby blog, and insight, resources and ideas as a regular guest blogger in the homeschooling blog. To read more articles by Valorie Delp, click here.
Learn more about Valorie Delp  Hello everybody! My name is Valorie and I am one busy lady! When I'm not writing or editing for families, I am busy trying to get my brood of 5 in line. Relevantbaby tags User Comments  Valorie Delp (49340) 26 Mar 2008 06:33 AMThat's what I thought too! I'm hoping people just won't watch on moral principle.  DivasMomma (20897) 26 Mar 2008 06:34 AMI think the idea of the show is great---just not the real baby part like you said! It is a good thing that the real parents can watch 24/7 and step in, but Im sure they are doing it so their babies are on TV. When I was in 10th grade I had to bring home a baby that was pretty life like. It had a computer chip in the back and recorded everytime the baby cried, how long it took you to react, it could record tempertaures, so it would say if the baby was to hot/cold. The neck was also just like an infants--if you didnt supprt the head it would roll back. It would record any kind of forceful reactions, like shaking or hitting. The program could give you any kind of infant--quiet or colic! You had a key attached to your wrist which you could not take off. This acted as the "bottle". You plug it into the babies back when he/she cried. This also made it so you couldnt leave the baby with anyone else--no babysitters allowed!! I took the baby home over Spring break--5 days! It was probably the toughest thing I ever did --and good thing because i THOUGHT i wanted a baby more then anything at that age! Valorie Delp (49340) 26 Mar 2008 06:37 AMThere are programs like that all over the place. That I'm not opposed to bc I think a good dose of reality for teen agers is a good thing. Honestly, I don't think I would be opposed to a show that chronicled babysitting a real baby for a few hours--nor would I be opposed to chronicling a show that had a robot baby. I think that's good practice for a teen. But this is just over the line IMO.  Kara |
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